How Sharia Law Violates The Most Basic Human Rights of Women

Nasrin Sotoudeh, the Iranian human rights lawyer and recipient of the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought and the Ludovic Trarieux Human Rights Prize, defended the peaceful protests of the women. Sotoudeh was arrested in June of 2018 and later sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes for her humanitarian efforts.

Sotoudeh was arrested in June of 2018 and later sentenced to 38 years in prison and 148 lashes for her humanitarian efforts.

The Washington Post’s article details the unfair trial (or lack thereof) of Sotoudeh, and says her charges “are of the bizarre and politically motivated type that dictators often throw at those who protest.” Iran has been in the news quite a bit as of late, and regardless of your political leanings, it is imperative to at least have an awareness of the human rights violations, particularly those directed towards women, that occur in the Middle Eastern nation.

What Do The Protests Look Like?

Many of the protests began with an Instagram picture posted by Masih Alinejad in 2013 that showed herself driving through Iran without the mandatory head covering, a mandate that has been in place in Iran since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The hashtag #mystealthyfreedom quickly garnered the attention of many other women who followed suit with similar images of their own.

The hashtag #mystealthyfreedom quickly garnered the attention of many other women who followed suit with similar images of their own.

Masih’s choice was not without consequence; she currently lives in exile in the U.S. and cannot return to her native country for fear of what would befall her. Her father no longer speaks to her, and neither of her parents are allowed to leave Iran. Even though she continues to receive death threats on a daily basis, she is glad to have started a movement that garnered the attention of the Iranian government.

Over 35 female protestors have been arrested in the capital alone since December of 2017, and participating in a protest can result in up to ten years in prison. Women are frequently scolded or physically punished by the Iranian morality police if they are seen with even unsecured headscarves.

One Iranian woman detailed her story of solitary confinement and torture to BBC News for her protestation of the hijab. She eloquently articulates the crux of the issue by saying that “It’s not just about wearing a veil and covering our hair, it’s about our dignity as human beings.” These laws are so much more than degrading; they a true travesty that no woman or person should ever have to endure.

Sharia Law

Sharia Law is the portion of Islam that details moral teaching, literally meaning “path to the watering hole.” According to Britannica, “the religious law of Islam is seen as the expression of God’s command for Muslims and, in application, constitutes a system of duties that are incumbent upon all Muslims by virtue of their religious belief. The law represents a divinely ordained path of conduct that guides Muslims toward a practical expression of religious conviction in this world and the goal of divine favor in the world to come.”

Sharia Law is the portion of Islam that details moral teaching, literally meaning “path to the watering hole.”

The intricacies of Sharia Law are as complex as they are far-reaching, and extend to all aspects of life for those living in Muslim nations where there is no separation of church and state. Much of the modern controversy surrounding Sharia Law lines in the interpretation of the teachings and many extremists groups have taken these teachings to the… extreme. This is not to say that every nation upholding Sharia Law is extremist, but the interpretations of the law do vary as does the implementation of the teachings, as well as the punishments prescribed.

Why Does It Matter?

For those of us not under the jurisdiction of Sharia Law, these happenings may seem far off and irrelevant. It is, however, one of the many humanitarian issues currently plaguing a substantial segment of the world population, and one that should not go unnoticed. The women who are subject to this injustice deserve to be known for the good they are trying to do, and the regimes in which they are being tortured under deserve to be known for the atrocities they are committing.

The women who are subject to this injustice deserve to be known for the good they are trying to do, and the regimes in which they are being tortured under deserve to be known for the atrocities they are committing.

Whether you’re casting a vote, championing for women’s rights, or simply seeking to be better informed, understanding the ways in which these women are having their dignity taken and fundamental human rights attacked is crucial for anyone, no matter how far removed they may feel from this tragic situation.