Narges Mohammadi Calls for 'Criminalization of Gender Apartheid' by the UN

Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate imprisoned on security charges, wrote a letter to the UN Secretary-General calling for the 'criminalization of gender apartheid' and its recognition as 'one of the examples of crimes against humanity.' This human rights activist, imprisoned in Evin prison, published a message on her Instagram page on Thursday, February 1, addressing Antonio Guterres and representatives of UN member states, highlighting decades of 'Iranian women's lives under the shadow of the Islamic Republic.' She wrote, 'The Islamic Republic systematically and purposefully advances the policy of subjugating women using all governmental tools and powers, especially through legislation, and deprives women of their human rights.' Mohammadi emphasized, 'In a society where half of the population is deprived of their human rights, discussions about achieving democracy, human rights, freedom, and equality are meaningless.' In her letter, she added, 'In countries like Iran and Afghanistan, the Islamic Republic and the Taliban have used their dominance over women as a lever to expand tyranny and suppress the entire society, using religion as a cover for despotism and oppression.' Recently, a group of British parliamentarians has begun investigating 'gender apartheid' against women and girls in Iran and Afghanistan. In her letter to the UN Secretary-General, Mohammadi criticized the world for witnessing 'incredible crimes against women.' The Nobel Peace Prize laureate described the direct use of 'physical or legal methods' to impose 'gender, economic, and social discrimination against individuals based on their gender' as 'gender apartheid,' listing its consequences as 'social and economic disabilities' and 'physical and bodily harm.' She stated that the imposition of 'mandatory hijab and dress codes' by the Islamic Republic poses a 'serious threat' to fundamental human rights and women's citizenship rights. Mohammadi cited the issuance of flogging sentences for not wearing hijab or 'arbitrary imprisonments' against women as examples of 'inhumane and cruel punishments' leading to 'severe physical, sexual, and psychological harm, and even death for women.' Previously, she had referred to the flogging of Roya Hashemati, an opponent of compulsory hijab, as 'a representation of the 45-year history of gender apartheid by the tyrannical regime against the proud and aware women.' This imprisoned political activist noted the Islamic Republic's 'anti-women record' in political, economic, social, cultural, and educational fields, and its 'rigid structure and discriminatory laws' as instances of 'crimes against humanity against women due to their gender.' In her letter, Mohammadi briefly reviewed the Islamic Republic's 'anti-women laws' in nineteen sections, indicating the 'components of separation and subjugation of women' in Iranian society. She addressed current laws in areas such as mandatory hijab, child marriage, divorce rights, blood money and inheritance, educational deprivation for women in certain university fields, and citizenship rights for children, labeling the Guardian Council as one of the governmental bodies 'supporting and endorsing anti-women laws and behaviors.' Part of her letter states: 'Sexual assaults and harassment of detained protesting women, severe and deadly beatings of women in detention and in detention centers, hospitalizing protesting women in psychiatric hospitals, and using psychotropic drugs in solitary confinement and hospitals are among the tortures inflicted by the security-judicial agents of the government against women protesting against discrimination and oppression, and we have witnessed the continuation of these repressive and brutal policies against women in the past year.' Narges Mohammadi, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, continues to take a stand on issues concerning Iranian society and to raise human rights demands in international communities, despite being imprisoned for her activities. According to a report published on January 14 on Mohammadi's Instagram page, the Islamic Revolutionary Court sentenced her to '15 months in prison, two years of exile outside Tehran and neighboring provinces, two years of travel ban, two years of prohibition from joining social-political groups, and two years of prohibition from using a smartphone.' This is the 'fifth conviction' of this imprisoned human rights activist since 2021, with 'three convictions' occurring due to her activities inside the prison. According to the rulings of the Islamic Republic courts, Narges Mohammadi has been sentenced to a total of '12 years and three months in prison, 154 lashes, four months of cleaning, and two years of travel ban and exile and social and political restrictions.' The United States has repeatedly called for the unconditional release of this imprisoned human rights activist.