Web pages about "Women"

Suspension of stoning executions a welcome step if carried out

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 14:38:04 +0100

Amnesty International has welcomed last week's announcement by the spokesperson for Iran’s Judiciary that execution by stoning has been suspended and that several unnamed women who were facing the punishment have had their sentences commuted.

"Stoning is a horrific practice, designed to increase the suffering of those facing execution, and it has no place in the modern world," Amnesty International said. "We look to the Iranian authorities to ensure that this dreadful punishment is never again used."

The majority of those sentenced to death by stoning have been women. Women do not receive equal treatment with men under Iranian law and before Iranian courts. Also, because illiteracy is higher among women they may be more likely to sign confessions to crimes they did not commit and to receive unfair trials.

"The suspension of stoning is a welcome, if long overdue step, and a tribute to the courageous efforts of Iranian Human rights defenders," said Drewery Dyke of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme. "However, an earlier moratorium on stoning executions was breached, so we shall be watching closely to see that this does not happen again."

In 2002, the Head of Iran’s Judiciary announced that the use of stoning as a method of execution had been halted. However, in May 2006, a woman and a man were reported to have been stoned to death in Mashad. A further stoning execution was carried out on 5 July 2007 when a man, Ja'far Kiani was executed in Qazvin province after being convicted of adultery.

"It is really over to parliament [which is currently considering proposed new penal legislation] to reform the law and ensure that stoning executions are never again permitted," Drewery Dyke added.

The announced suspension of stoning follows concerted action by Iranian human rights defenders, who have mounted a Stop Stoning Campaign since October 2006. Their efforts, together with the local and international publicity they have generated and the support of Amnesty International and other organisations, is believed to have helped save at least five people from stoning.

While welcoming the announcement on stoning, Amnesty International continues to call on the Iranian authorities to end other cruel and inhuman punishments, such as flogging and albeit rarely used provisions prescribing the amputation of limbs, and to take other steps to reduce use of the death penalty.

Iran's existing Penal Code provides for the execution by stoning as the penalty for adultery by married persons. It even states that the stones be large enough to cause pain, but not so large as to kill the victim immediately.

Iranian human rights defenders continue to face arrest, harassment and intimidation at the hands of the authorities. Thirty-three women, including members of the Stop Stoning Forever campaign, were arrested while protesting in March 2007 about the trial of five women's rights activists in Tehran.

Major step forward in Paraguay's investigations into sexual slavery of girls

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 15:18:07 +0100

Investigations into girls subjected to sexual slavery in Paraguay during the Stroessner dictatorship have taken a major step forward thanks to one woman's testimony.

This in turn has encouraged other women to come forward and testify about their experiences of sexual slavery, giving greater weight to the Truth and Justice Commission's investigation.

Julia Ozorio Gamecho was the first woman to come forward and talk to the Commission about how she was subjected to sexual slavery by the military during the dictatorship.

The Commission is investigating thousands of human rights violations which happened while Stroessner was in office, from 1954 to 1989.

These violations include sexual violence against women. Girls as young as seven are believed to have been snatched from their homes and "groomed" to serve high ranking military officials.

Ozorio's testimony helped the Commission to confirm details about a location where girls were taken after they had been snatched from their families. There they were forcibly prepared for their sexual enslavement to high ranking members of the military.

Yudith Rolón of the Commission said: "We value and admire her courage in telling us what happened to her, events which have left her with irreparable trauma, from both the physical and psychological torture she suffered".

"She corroborated events that the Truth and Justice Commission had already been investigating. We had heard of many cases but no-one had wanted to give testimony, as she has done".

These testimonies had previously been almost impossible to collect due to fear of reprisals. Some of the officials to whom the women were enslaved are believed to still be linked to the military.

A former military official who helped Ozorio to survive while detained, also came forward to present his account of the case to the Truth and Justice Commission on Tuesday 12 August.

Ozorio's case will be included in the Commission's final report which will be presented to the government and civil society on 28 August. Her testimony will be one of over 2,000 detailing human rights violations committed during the Stroessner dictatorship.

The report will also cover the period from Paraguay's transition to democracy, to the enactment of the law that created the Commission on 6 October 2003.

Ozorio was 13 when she was snatched from her home in the town of Nueva Italia in Paraguay's central department.

She was taken by a colonel (vice-commander of the Presidential Escort Regiment) and two other soldiers. For the next two years she was held in captivity and subjected to sexual slavery by the colonel.

According to Ozorio, girls who cried a lot or who were no longer of use – for example when they reached 15 or 16 years of age and were no longer considered desirable - were sometimes killed.

Ozorio was freed by her captor because she had reached the age of 15 and he was no longer interested in her. Ozorio said her life was spared because she reminded her captor of his dead daughter. She went to Argentina to seek safety and has lived in Buenos Aires ever since.

Thirty-seven years later she returned to Paraguay to present her book, A Rose and a Thousand Soldiers (Una rosa y mil soldados), her story of what happened to her during the two years she was subjected to sexual slavery.

In the book, Ozorio writes about the night she was abducted: "He said these words to me: 'many girls have passed through here. Some left alive, others weren't so lucky'...he looked at me for a long time and said: 'you are a very pretty girl - please don't make me kill you'…

"The first night was horrible. No human words exist that can express the pain of that night...my body was covered with bruises and bite marks. A deep wound bled from my breast."

After her testimony to the Commission, Ozorio reported receiving two anonymous threatening telephone calls. The Commission has offered her protection as a result of these threats.

As well as telling her painful story and raising awareness of what she and many other young girls experienced, Ozorio now also hopes to set up a foundation to protect girls who have been victims of sexual violence.

General Stroessner came to power by overthrowing civilian president Dr Federico Chávez in 1954.

During his rule, thousands were victims of grave human rights abuses including arbitrary detentions, torture, "disappearances" and forced exile.

Some of these abuses were committed as part of Operation Condor, a plan coordinated by the military governments of the Southern Cone - Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay - to eliminate their "opponents" during the 1970s and 1980s.

Stroessner died on 16 August 2006 in Brasilia, where he had been living in exile since 1989. He was 93.

Women in Mexico let down by failures in justice system

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 11:38:19 +0100

Thousands of Mexican women who face violence in their homes are being put at risk of further abuse by a justice system that often fails to take their safety seriously, according to a new Amnesty International report.

Mexico: Women's struggle for justice and safety: Violence in the family in Mexico says that one in four women in Mexico has suffered abuse at the hands of their partner.

Susana, a 24-year-old mother of two from Sonora state, faced 10 years of physical and psychological violence. Her husband imprisoned her in her home for long periods, and she suffered broken bones in her hand, a fractured nose and a dislocated collarbone.

Susana filed numerous complaints at the local public prosecutor’s office, but each time was told that it was not a crime and there was nothing they could do. When a case was finally opened and her husband charged, he was detained for just one day before being released on bail. Susana and her family remained in hiding until being referred to a women’s shelter.

Reporting abuse
Women face a range of obstacles when trying to report cases of domestic violence, including:

the refusal of officials to accept complaints
deficient investigations
poor enforcement of protective measures

Women who find the courage to report the abuse are often treated with indifference and have to prove they are subject to violence. In many cases, officials even ask them to deliver summons to their aggressor.

Law to stop violence against women
Mexico passed a law to counter violence against women 18 months ago, The General Law on Women’s Access to a Life Free From Violence. Since then, many states have approved similar legislation. These are positive first steps, but unless the law is properly funded and enforced, it will make little difference to the lives of the many women at risk.

Amnesty International has called on Mexico’s federal and state authorities to:

Make a public commitment to implement the new laws guaranteeing women’s rights to safety and justice and to make sure that there is sufficient funding to put the laws into practice effectively.
Ensure effective access to justice and timely protection measures for women who have suffered violence in the family.

Discrimination against Kurdish Iranians unchecked and on the rise

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:04:37 +0100

Iran’s government is failing in its duty to prevent discrimination and human rights abuses against its Kurdish citizens, according to a new Amnesty International report.

The organization fears that the repression of Kurdish Iranians, particularly human rights defenders, is intensifying, according to the report Iran: Human rights abuses against the Kurdish minority.

The report also says that women face a double challenge to their human rights, both as members of a marginalised ethnic minority and as women in a predominantly patriarchal society.

Around 12 million Kurds live in Iran making up 15 percent of the population. Expression of Kurdish culture, such as dress and music, is generally respected and the Kurdish language is used in some broadcasts and publications.

However the Kurdish minority continues to suffer deep-rooted discrimination. Kurds in Iran have their social, political and cultural rights repressed along with their economic aspirations.

Parents are banned from registering their babies with certain Kurdish names and religious minorities that are mainly or partially Kurdish are targeted by measures designed to stigmatize and isolate them.

Discriminated against in their access to employment and adequate housing, the economic neglect of Kurdish regions has resulted in an entrenched poverty which has further marginalized Kurds.

Kurdish human rights defenders, including community activists and journalists, face arbitrary arrest, ill-treatment and prosecution when they protest against the government’s failure to observe international human rights standards.

When they link their human rights work to their Kurdish identity they risk further violations of their rights. Some, including women’s rights activists, become prisoners of conscience. Others suffer torture, grossly unfair trials before Revolutionary Courts and the death penalty.

Ethnic Kurds Farzad Kamangar, Ali Heydariyan and Farhad Vakili were sentenced to death in February 2008 after conviction of “moharebeh” (enmity against God), following a grossly flawed process that fell far short of international standards for a fair trial.

This is a charge levelled against those accused of taking up arms against the state, apparently in connection with their alleged membership of the armed group, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which carries out attacks in Turkey. Ali Heydariyan and Farhad Vakili were also sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, apparently for forging documents. Under Iranian law, they must serve their prison sentences before being executed.

In May this year Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment by Branch 15 of the Revolutionary Court in Tehran. The sentence apparently comprises 10 years’ imprisonment for “acting against state security by establishing the Human Rights Organization of Kurdistan (HROK)” and one year’s imprisonment for “propaganda against the system”.

The verdict followed a closed trial session. Amnesty International considers Mohammad Sadiq Kabudvand to be a prisoner of conscience, held solely on account of the peaceful exercise of his rights to freedom of expression and association during his work as chair of the HROK and his activities as a journalist. Such rights are expressly recognized in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a state party.

“Iran’s constitution provides for equality of all Iranians before the law. But, as our report shows, this is not the reality for Kurds in Iran,” said Malcolm Smart, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme of Amnesty International.

“The Iranian government has not taken sufficient steps to eliminate discrimination, or to end the cycle of violence against women and punish those responsible.”

Although women and girls form the backbone of economic activity in the Kurdish areas, strict social codes are used to deny their human rights.

Such codes make it difficult for government officials to investigate inequalities in girls’ education, early and forced marriages, and domestic violence against Kurdish girls and women - and the severe consequences of some of these abuses, including “honour killings” and suicide.

“Kurdish women are victims of violence on a daily basis and face discrimination from state officials, groups or individuals, including family members.” Malcolm Smart said.

Women of Liberia: Fighting for Peace

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:40:37 +0100

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Liberia experienced conflict between 1989 and 1997 and again between 1999 and 2003. It is estimated that women made up over 30% of the fighting force, playing roles as commanders, spies, cooks and porters.

Women took up arms for many reasons, such as avenging death and to protect themselves and their relatives.

The consequences of the violence and abuses committed against women during the conflict are devastating. Many continue to suffer physical and mental effects from their experiences, and often do not have access to adequate medical care. Often widowed or abandoned, a number of women have found themselves having to shoulder considerable burdens with little support, few skills, and no job or education.

Following the conflict, a disarmament, demobilization, rehabilitation and reintegration process began. The process aimed to ensure women’s participation and address their special needs. In reality, the programme failed meet the needs of a large number of women and girls. Thousands of women and girls didn’t participate in the process for reasons such as misinformation about the process, and manipulation by commanders.

Women and girls continue to be subject to human rights abuses and are at great risk of rape and other forms of sexual violence, such as exploitation and abuse in their schools, homes and communities.

Rape in Burundi – demand justice now!

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 15:31:20 +0100

13 year old Kaneza (not her real name) from the province of Bujumbura rural was raped by a 22-year-old man in September 2007. Kaneza didn’t tell anyone about the rape, until she found that she was pregnant. She told her uncle's wife, who immediately reported the rape to the police.

The alleged perpetrator was arrested and questioned, and confessed to the rape. Kaneza’s family thought that this would be enough to prosecute the perpetrator, though he was released several days later.

Local human rights activists have reported that the father of the perpetrator approached the Public Prosecutor of Bujumbura Rural and proposed an out-of-court settlement.

When the family spoke to the Prosecutor of Bujumbura Rural, he forced them to agree to an "amicable settlement" and cease legal proceedings. Kaneza’s family complained to the judicial authorities in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi.

The Prosecutor was then ordered by them to re-arrest the alleged perpetrator. He didn’t do this, but instead detained Kaneza for several hours and threatened her.

Kaneza recently gave birth to a child. The man who allegedly raped her remains free.

Rape is widespread throughout Burundi, though many cases, like that of Kaneza, remain unprosecuted. Women are often too afraid to even report the crime out of fear that their families and communities will reject them.

The justice system is flawed. The police and judiciary often fail to investigate reports of rape and other sexual assaults or prosecute those accused of committing such offences.

Sometimes victims are forced to withdraw their complaints and enter into negotiated settlements with the perpetrator or his family outside of the formal judicial system. Sometimes the victim is also forced to marry her attacker.

Write to the Public Prosecutor in Burundi to demand that the alleged rape of Kaneza is investigated and the suspect brought to justice.

Venezuela must implement new law on violence against women

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:25:23 +0100

In a new report published on Wednesday 16 July, Amnesty International urged the Venezuelan authorities to show the political will and provide the resources needed to ensure the new law on violence against women will not just exist on paper.

“The 2007 Venezuelan law to protect women from violence is an example for the rest of the region but it will be useless for women unless it’s fully implemented,” said Guadalupe Marengo, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Americas Programme.

“Implementation of the law means more shelters, special tribunals and training for those who have to deal with these crimes.”

Amnesty International’s report, Venezuela: "The law is there, let's use it" Ending domestic violence in Venezuela, looks at the reality of domestic violence for women in Venezuela.

Thousands of women in Venezuela suffer beatings, verbal abuse and rape at home. In 2007 alone, 4,484 women called a helpline set up by INAMUJER (National Institute of Women’s Affairs) to report abuse. Local organizations, however, estimate that only 1 in 9 women report violence to the authorities.

Many of the women who talked to Amnesty International in Venezuela said that lack of financial independence, information, insufficient shelters – only two in a country of over 27 million inhabitants -- and a poorly resourced police and judicial infrastructure, make it hard for them to feel safe.

“Thousands of women in Venezuela live in a constant state of fear of violence from their partners, fear for their lives and the safety of their children. When a safety net is not provided, many women feel that they have no choice but to stay with their abuser or to be homeless and unable to support themselves or their children,” said Guadalupe Marengo.

In March 2007, the government passed a law that defines violence against women as a human rights violation and reaffirms the responsibility of the state and its officials to eradicate it. The law replaced one passed in 1999 that, although positive, failed to be fully implemented.

It sets out measures to prevent violence against women, to protect women at risk and to punish those responsible. It also requires the authorities to implement a far reaching programme to raise awareness and challenge public attitudes which condone or conceal this under-reported crime.

“Venezuela’s government needs to step up to the challenge set by the 2007 law.”

'Comfort Women': waiting for justice after 62 years

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:59:18 +0100

"The Japanese Government thinks that if all comfort women die, it will be buried and forgotten. But it won’t. As long as our next generation knows about it, it will not be forgotten." Gil Won-Ok (below, right), former "Comfort Woman" from South Korea.

Thousands of women known as "comfort women" were forced into servitude by the Government of Japan for the armed forces in the 1930s before and after the Second World War. In what became known as a system of "military sexual slavery", women were abducted, beaten, raped and coerced into providing sexual services for the Japanese military.

The full extent of the sexual slavery system has never been fully disclosed by the Government of Japan, though it is thought that as many as 200,000 women were enslaved. The Government of Japan continues to refuse to officially acknowledge its responsibility for these crimes.

The "comfort women" system of forced military prostitution allowed for a range of abuses, such as sexual violence including gang rape and forced abortions, in what has been described as "one of the largest cases of human trafficking in the 20th century."

Many of these women continue to suffer the consequences of these abuses and are courageously speaking out about their experiences and campaigning for justice. Pressure is mounting on Japan as a range of governments across the world have passed resolutions calling for justice for "comfort women".

Resolutions have been passed in the USA, Netherlands, Canada and the European Parliament for the Government of Japan to:

accept full responsibility for the abuses of "comfort women"
officially apologize for the crimes committed against the women
provide adequate and effective compensation

The Government of the Philippines is currently considering passing a resolution that has particular significance because of the number of Filipino women who were enslaved by the Japanese Imperial Army.

Join the former "Comfort Women" in their battle for justice. Show your support for the Philippines to be the next country to pass a resolution calling for Justice for the Comfort Women.

Women’s Rights Activists arrested in peaceful solidarity demonstrations in Iran

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:10:38 +0100

Nine women attempting to take part in a small, peaceful seminar to commemorate a day of solidarity with Iranian women were arrested in Tehran on Thursday. The women -Aida Saadat, Nahid Mirhaj, Nafiseh Azad, Nasrin Sotoodeh, Jelve Javaheri, Jila Baniyagoub, Sarah Loghmani Farideh Ghaeb and Aliyeh Matlabzadeh - were arrested and taken to a detention centre, and released later in the evening.

The seminar organized by the Campaign for Equality in honour of the anniversary of the day of solidarity of Iranian women, was due to take place in the Rahe Abrisham Gallery, but security forces prevented it from taking place by forcing the gallery owner to shut the doors. The nine women were arrested outside the gallery.

The Campaign for Equality is a network which works to end legal discrimination against women. The campaign informs women of their rights, and is aiming to collect one million signatures from the Iranian public to a petition against discriminatory laws.

22 Khordad (usually 12 June) is identified by women’s rights activists in Iran as their national day of solidarity against laws which discriminate against women. Three years ago on this day, women’s rights activists organized a demonstration in front of Tehran University, which was unprecedented in size. The following year, a similar peaceful demonstration was broken up violently, and resulted in 70 arrests. Activists have pledged to continue activities on this date until their demands are met by the authorities.

Women in Iran face widespread discrimination under the law. They are excluded from key areas of political participation and do not have equal rights with men in marriage, divorce, child custody and inheritance.

The Iranian authorities must:

Stop the harassment of women’s rights activists and allow women to continue their peaceful activities, including future celebration of their day of solidarity unimpeded
Take concrete steps to bring laws governing the lives of women in line with human rights standards.

Russian authorities ruled responsible for Chechen women's disappearance

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:35:30 +0100

In a ruling made on 29 May 2008, the European Court of Human Rights has found the Russian authorities responsible for the May 2003 enforced disappearance of two young Chechen women, Aminat Dugaeva and Kurbika Zinabdieva.

“The Court’s ruling is a step forward in the search for justice for Aminat, Kurbika and their families. We will continue to campaign on their behalf and urge the Russian authorities to ensure that the women’s disappearance is fully investigated and that those responsible are brought to justice,” said Nicola Duckworth of Amnesty International.

The women, members of the same family, were abducted on the night of 16 May 2003 from Kurbika’s home in Ulus-Kert, Chechnya, by a group of 20 men wearing blue uniforms and balaclavas.

Aminat was only 15 years old at the time. Kurbika, who suffered from a brain tumour and epilepsy, needed constant care. Their families have had no news of them since.

In its decision of 29 May, Gekhayeva and others v. Russia, the European Court of Human Rights strongly supported the family’s allegation that the abductors were in fact Russian servicemen. The Court also criticised the Russian authorities for their failure to provide documents about the investigation into the case.

The European Court found that the official investigation, launched in 2003, has been incomplete and inadequate. It was suspended from June 2004 to August 2006 and so far has failed to identify those responsible for the women’s disappearance.

As a result, the Court found the Russian authorities to be in grave violation of the European Convention on Human Rights, concluding that:

There had been a violation of the right to life, given that the women had to be presumed dead following their unacknowledged detention by Russian servicemen and that the authorities had not justified the use of lethal force by their agents.
The unacknowledged detention of Aminat and Kurbika violated their right to liberty and security.
The Russian authorities’ handling of complaints by the victims’ families constituted inhuman treatment, given the stress and anguish they had suffered.

The Court also concluded that the Russian authorities had failed to carry out an effective criminal investigation. Serious shortcomings included the authorities’ initial refusal to open a criminal investigation and the suspension of the investigation for more than two years.