BBC world service reported on Jan. 5, 1998
that Iran’s Parliament overwhelmingly rejected the bill on same inheritance
rights for man and women. They said the proposal was contrary to Islamic
law, which stipulates that a woman’s share may only be one half that of
a man’s.
AP, Nov. 2, 1997 reported, Iranian women made
a small gain by getting Parliament to pass a law that granted women some
custody rights to children after a divorce, but only if the father was
determined to be a drug addict, an alcoholic or "morally corrupt."
In past year, Parliament and other religious
leaders proposed a number of new laws or policies that will adversely effect
the health, education, and well being of women and girl children in Iran.
Iran Daily, October 6, 1997, reported on "no
male zone" for girl’s schools. Female teachers can only teach at girl’s
school. This requirement will make education for girls even more difficult,
inaccessible and increase the dropout rate for female students.
France Soir, 14 January 1998 reports on temporary
marriage, in which a man can marry a woman for a limited period of time,
even one hour, in exchange for money, is permitted in Iran. Earlier this
year, Ayatollah Haeri Shirazi, a prominent religious leader called for
a revival of this practice so clerical officials could have religious sanctioned
sexual relationships with women. This practice is an approved form of sexual
exploitation of women, and allows the regime to have an official network
of prostitution.
Reuters, 13 April 1998, reported on another
new law approved by Parliament imposing more restrictions on the photographs
of women that can be published in newspapers and magazines.
LA Times, May 16, 1998reported
on the approved law for segregating health care services for men and women.
Iran’s Parliament adopted the law in April which will compromise the health
care for women and girls because there are not enough trained female physicians
and health care professionals to meet the needs of all the women and girls
in Iran. The same article also points to another new law of prohibiting
the discussion of women’s issues or rights outside the interpretation of
Shari’a (Islamic law). Women’s rights can only be discussed by religious
male figures in Iran.
New York Times, July 20, 1998 reports on the
freedom of press in Iran since Khatami’s arrival. Jameah newspaper
was an example in that article. In February, the newspaper Jameah
started to publish articles critical of the government, color photographs
of smiling women harvesting wheat, and an interview with a former prisoner.
By June a court revoked their license.
Tehran Radio, July 31, Judiciary
Chief Mohammad Yazdi told the Friday prayers congregation on July 31: "Some
time ago we promoted a lady to the status of a judge. Then they created
an uproar in the world that bewildered me. The counter-revolutionaries
inside the country wrote that pressure by Iranian women forced the Islamic
Republic to retreat and give a judicial rank to a woman... We have 99 women
who have judicial positions... The women I mentioned hold positions in
the judiciary, they receive salaries, they attend trials, they provide
counsel, but they do not preside over trials..."
IRNA August, 12, 1998, The Islamic Consultative
Assembly of Iran, in its open session on Wednesday, passed a bill banning
the press from using women as objects in pictures or in material…
It is stipulated in the bill that the offenders shall
be subjected to punishments provided for the Article 698 of the Islamic
Penal Code, and in case of repetition of offense, to punishment incuase
and withdrawal of publishing license. Article 689 of the Islamic Penal
Code provides for imprisonment and flogging of the offenders.
U.S. News & World Report, August 17,
The day after the Iranian soccer team's defeat of the United States in
the World Cup brought thousands of men and women dancing into the streets
of Tehran, spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei told a secret meeting
with senior officials that it was time "to crack down on any wanton behavior
by Iranian women."...
IRNA, October 4, 1998, The bill on "Conformity of medical institutions'
administrative and technical functioning to sacred religious standards"
was passed by the Deputies after a second reading at the open session of
the Islamic Consultative Assembly on Sunday, presided by First Deputy-Speaker
Hassan Rohani. The bill encompasses all medical and medically affiliated
centers, including hospitals, obstetrical clinics, convalescence centers,
laboratories, outpatient clinics, doctors' consulting rooms and pharmacies.
and electro-physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, clinical laboratories of diagnostics
and research, radiology, nuclear centers, urban and rural health and treatment
centers, injection and wound dressing cabinets or any establishment created
or to be created under any label authorized by the Ministry of Health,
therapy and Medical education and similar departments in universities of
medical science and all their technical, administrative and service personnel.
The bill stipulates that in implementation of Article 3 of the Act of Establishment
of the Ministry of Health, Therapy and Medical Education, the Ministry
is bound, in order to conform medical treatment, health and education,
to the standards of the sacred Islamic Religion, to proceed to policy-making,
planification and preparation of rules of procedure, with the aim of materializing
the conformity of the afore-mentioned items with religious standards. Article
3 of the bill, that consists of seven articles and three clauses, stipulates
that, in order to achieve the goals of the present law, a High Council
of Conformity shall be established in the Ministry of Health, Therapy and
Medical Education, chaired by the minister. The Ministry should draw up
the rules of procedure of the present law within a maximal period of six
months, after which, it shall be binding on all upon approval by the government.
Until the new rules of procedure are communicated, the present "Conformity
Procedure" and its subsequent amendments by the Ministry shall remain in
force.