International Women's Day
Violations of Human Rights and Issues of Equity in the Islamic Republic of Iran:
The Case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani
Ashtiani’s own mother tongue is officially banned in Iran. Is it any wonder then, that she cannot understand the court proceedings and the content of the verdict which has condemned her to death by stoning? Compounding the problem is the overt use of Arabic terms and concepts in Iran’s legal discourse. Arabic terms like “rajm” are drawn from classic Islamic jurisprudence and Sharia literature. It is hard enough for an average Iranian citizen to make sense of such terms, let alone an oppressed woman like Ashtiani whose own mother tongue is banned in her country.
