ICAHK: International Campaign Against Honour Killings newsletter

The Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women (SKSW Campaign) and Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) are seriously concerned about the reported arrest of the wife and brother-in-law of human rights lawyer, Mohammad Mostafaei. They were arrested on 24 July 2010 and are being held in the infamous Evin Prison in Tehran. His wife, Fereshteh Halimi, called her parents to confirm her arrest and detention. Her brother, Farhad Halimi, is also believed to be detained there. There are strong indications that their arrest is intended to pressure Mohammad Mostafaei to turn himself in.

Since we issued our first update on Sakineh Mohammadi Astiani’s case last Friday July 9, the Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women has received new information that she is still facing the imminent threat of being executed. We also received the news that her young son, Sajjad Qaderzadeh, who publicly expressed his concern on the plight of his mother has been summoned by the Iranian authorities for some questioning about his activities.

Apologies to everyone who received our last newsletter. The link was incorrect and it was impossible to take action.

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Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani is a forty-three year old mother of two children, 16 & 20 year old respectively. Both Sakine's children and her lawyer tried everything they could to stop the stoning sentence, as a result of committing adultery. However, her stoning is finalized by the Iran's court. Sakine is in Tabriz prison awaiting her imminent stoning sentence.

The Asian Human Rights Commission has received information that a couple have been declared 'Karo-Kari' and sentenced to death by an illegal tribal court, but cannot get protection or redress from the Pakistan authorities. The tribal court was allegedly chaired by the bride's uncle, a policeman, and includes her father, who is also an officer. Two attempts have already been made to abduct the couple, and the groom's home has been violently attacked and burned, with his young brother and sister both injured.

Bita Ghaedi is an Iranian UK-based asylum seeker. On May 5th she will be dragged back against her will into a brutal regime and family situation that will very likely lead to her murder. She is at very high risk from an honour killing because she fled an unhappy marriage with a lover. Bita’s links with the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI) also put her at even more risk if she is deported.

The Asian Human Rights Commission has learned that authorities in North West Frontier province have taken no action to arrange urgently-needed protection for a man, his sister-in-law and her young son; all are in immediate danger of being murdered as a response to a love marriage, and three murders have already taken place. The groom and two of his brothers have all been systematically killed, yet despite evidence identifying the two men responsible, no reports to the police have been investigated in any way.

Bita Ghaedi has been on hunger strike for 22 days now since she was refused asylum by the British Government and told she would be deported.

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Participatory Development Initiatives (PDI), a youth-led civil society organization in Pakistan, has taken the bold step towards injecting life into traditions of death and headed towards abolishing the custom of Honor Killing in Pakistan!

The Women Living Under Muslim Laws (WLUML) international solidarity network and the Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women! (SKSW Campaign) join their allies in Indonesia in continuing to call for the repeal of a law (or 'qanun') passed by the Aceh Legislative Council (DPRD) on Monday 14 September 2009, that expands the range of violent punishments for alleged moral and sexual transgressions, including stoning to death for “adultery” and 100 lashes for homosexuality.