Reyhaneh’s Death sentences an approach to consolidate the subjugation of women!

Reyhaneh Jabbari, a 19 years old Iranian young girl, who in an act of self-defence stabbed the rapist could have never imagined that it would lead to the death of the rapist (Morteza Sarbandi). There is something else that Reyhaneh as an interior designer did not know before accepting the rapist offer to design his surgery. She also did not know that he was not an ordinary doctor but a former employee of the intelligence service of the Islamic Republic of Iran. She could have never imagined that a work project will change her life. Now, after spending seven years behind the bars, when all the freshness of her adolescency has turned into ashes, she is only one step away from being hanged. The regime’s court has announced that the only way to lessen the death penalty is to obtain the “forgiveness” of the Sarbandi’s family!

There is no window of hope for these kind of women to be freed by Islamic Republic Judiciary system, especially as the self-defence leads to the death of a man who is a security official of the government  or in some way  connected to the several hundred families who rule the country. So the most they could hope for is the “forgiveness” and withdrawal of the family of the person who is killed.  There is no doubt that with such support and legal immunity from the judicial system of the regime for the “insiders”, we can expect more of these accidents. With the dominant patriarchal views that sees women only as a means to serve men nothing else can be expected?

The retired judge, who has ordered this backward retaliation sentence, has defended his judgment by saying that Reyhaneh is not a virgin!! He also has explicitly declared that Sarbandi’s family not to ‘forgive’ is justifiable; as Reyhaneh has not expressed any regret.

As the only way for reducing the sentence depends on family forgiveness, it is likely that the family will not go for a pardon because as they have already mentioned that might indicate they are admitting the sexual assault by their son.  However it is important to note that there is no sign that the rapist family filed any complain or accusation until four month after the accident that could be an indication that they were well aware of the behaviour of their son.

The Islamic courts since the foundation of the Islamic regime of Iran, have proved that are not fit in any way to make judgement in the society.  When this system itself is the biggest criminal and they are the cause of many miseries that enforces backward ideas against women, can we expect the justice by them?  The trial and death sentence for Reyhaneh once again proves Islamic regime hostility towards women and its anti-woman policies. The Islamic courts by giving this verdict intend to intimidate women and young girls who are determined not to tolerate their subordination and resist it in various forms.

Struggle to expose this criminal verdict will raise the consciousness of women and men and once again put the Islamic Republic of Iran under the judgement of the people of Iran and the world. Fighting to free Reyhaneh is bound up with the struggle for overthrowing the Islamic regime of Iran and without this, day after day, such tragedy will repeat itself.

8March Women Organisation (Iran-Afghanistan)

October 2014

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