It’s never easy to be a teenager anywhere
in the world but it is certainly more difficult in Iran where an
entire nation is subject to particularly harsh not to say absurd so-called
Islamic laws meant to regulate all aspects of human life including the most
intimate ones since the advent of Islamic Republic more than 27 years ago. It is
not exaggerated to say that Iranian Women have since been subject to a form of
sexual apartheid. For instance the price of the blood of a Woman, is worth half
the price of that of a Man. A woman cannot become a Judge because
they consider that she cannot be objective enough. Similarly the testimony of
two Women is worth that of a single Man. Paradoxically however it is precisely
Iranian women who are at the forefront of the struggle for social and judiciary
justice in today’s Iran. The year 2003 seemed to smile
to Iranian Women and raise hopes on a solution to their unfair predicament. The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate was
indeed attributed to a former Iranian Judge ( before the Revolution of 1979 ),
now only lawyer ,Shirine Ebadi for her focus on human rights, especially on the
struggle for the rights of women and children. Ms. Ebadi won from a record field
of 165 candidates, including Pope John Paul and former Czech President Vaclav
Havel. Interestingly the same year Iranian born Nazanin Afshin-Jam was elected
Miss World Canada 2003 and Miss World first runner-up. As if symbolically two
generations of Iranian Women separated by the turmoils of revolution and exile
were thus honored in the West, setting in their own respective ways an example
for Iranian Women worldwide to look up to and particularly in their native
country. Alas nearly three years after the situation of Iranian women has not
considerably changed for the better. The radical laws continue to be prejudicial
to Women and the presidential election of an Iranian radical fanatic Mahmoud
Ahmaninejad (who seems to have single handedly invented in the Iranian community
anti-Semitic militancy that was virtually inexistent in Persian society) has
only encouraged his hard-line supporters to intensify their firm grip on the
country’s judiciary. At the face of such rising intolerance in her native
country Nazanin Afshin-Jam has chosen to take a stand for the predicament of an
Iranian 18 year old namesake who is threatened by an imminent execution. Her
crime? Having fatally stabbed to death in March 2005 one of three men who
attempted to rape her as well as her 16 year old niece in a Park in Southern
Tehran. During her trial Nazanin said
“I wanted to defend
myself and my niece. I did not want to kill that boy. At the heat of the moment
I did not know what to do because no one came to our help”. She was
nevertheless sentenced to the maximum punishment possible under the current law,
death by hanging …
The former Miss World Canada, who
considers that Nazanin is rather a victim than a criminal, is determined to help
save the young teenager’s life and use her own International fame to draw
attention on the teenager’s dangerous predicament. If nothing seems to ebb the
determination of Afshin-Jam, a former Warrant Officer First Class of the Royal
Canadian Air Cadets and Political Science Student (*), and who has launched an
online petition (See petition ) to support this cause, it is very much
likely that the Iranian Judiciary carries out the sentence. This makes
Afshin-Jam’s petition all the more important and her struggle to save her
compatriot all the more urgent.
Darius KADIVAR (DK): Iran has signed the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the
Rights of the Child, in which it agreed not to execute anyone under age 18 (
Nazanin was 17
years old at the time of commission of the offense and therefore Iran is in
breach ). How likely
is it that this will be applied in Nazanin’s case?
Nazanin Afshin-Jam
(NAJ):
Under the ICC
and ICCR Iran is obliged not to execute anyone under the age of 18; however
Amnesty International has recorded 18 executions of child offenders in
Iran since 1990. In 2005 alone, at
least eight executions of child offenders were recorded. This treaty may not be
respected in Nazanin’s case because under Islamic based law in
Iran, a woman can be executed over
the age of 9 and a man over the age of 15.
DK: Do you have any
news on Nazanin’s current situation? Have you been able to speak to her or to
any relatives? Are they aware of your International campaign to save
her?
NAJ:
We
have been desperately trying to track down young Nazanin’s lawyer in
Iran so that we can know what the
next steps of action are to help save this young soul. It pains me to imagine
where she is right this moment. Is she in a jail cell? Does she know that the
international community has taken notice and cares? Does she know that people
are fighting for her freedom? We don’t even have Nazanin’s last name and so it
has been difficult trying to track her relatives as well. I am constantly
checking with Amnesty International to find out if they have any new
information. Any updates that I do have, I will post on my website at
www.nazanin.ca
DK: Negar Azmudeh — an immigration lawyer in Canada who
focuses on human rights issues is helping you on a legal basis to alert the
international community and help convince the Iranian judiciary. How successful
have you been on this front this far?
NAJ:
Negar Azmudeh
has been fantastic. She knows a great deal about Sharia Law and is very aware of
the internal efforts of women in Iran fighting for their rights. She
has been very helpful in vocalizing that this is purely a humanitarian effort
and not a political one. We do not want to criticize the Iranian Government in a
way that will hurt Nazanin’s chances of having her sentence
commuted.
Left:
Miss World Canada 2003 Nazanin Afshin-Jam campaigned to help
for
Iran’s Bam earthquake victims the same year.
©CBC
Right: With 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi
DK: You were
Crowned Miss Canada 2003 the same year as the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin
Ebadi. Have you met her and has she tried to help you on Nazanin’s case?
NAJ:
Yes, I have met
Shirin Ebadi on a couple of occasions. Through mutual connections I have been
trying to contact her so that she may offer her perspectives and suggestions. It
would definitely be an asset to have her legal input and experience. She has
dedicated her life to these sorts of issues, and I look to her as a role
model.
DK: You were born
during or shortly after the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran. It is
quite rare to see Iranian Artists or public figures of the entertainment take a
public stand in regard to Human Rights Issues in their country. What makes a
second generation Iranian ex-pat like you with no particular connection with
Iran anymore so concerned by
Nazanin’s case and Human Rights in Iran in
particular?
NAJ:
While I may be
geographically separated from Iran, l feel quite emotionally
connected. It is my birth place and my roots stem from this ancient country full
of history. I refer to Iran as the Jewel of culture. When I
heard of the injustice being imposed on young Nazanin, I was appalled. The most
upsetting part for me was seeing the victim being tried as the criminal. This is
not a case of one Iranian woman, this is a fight for what is JUST. This is a
case of Women’s Rights. This is a case of HUMANITY. Iranians shouldn’t be the
only ones concerned about the plight of this girl, the citizens of the world
should stand up and take action on behalf of all “Nazanin’s” of the
world.
Iranian America actor Anthony Azizi is also
using
his popularity to support the
Rights of Middle East
Women
©imdb.com
DK: Anthony Azizi
the Iranian American actor in Popular TV series Commander in Chief has also
been declaring on VOA that he hopes to use his fame to promote Woman’s Rights particularly in the
Middle East. Do you think Iranian Artists
particularly those in the Diaspora should be more involved than they are today
on such issues like Human Rights or Democracy in Iran?
NAJ: We all have blessings and we must use
them to help advance the world in any way we can. If you are an artist, paint a
picture for those most vulnerable, if you are a singer, dedicate your song to
the sick, if you are an architect get involved in a housing project for the
poor. If you don’t have time, make time or donate money to those less fortunate.
We all can give big or small. If Ex-pat Iranians are passionate about seeing a
free and democratic Iran, then they shouldn’t just
complain amongst friends; they must become active. If one is passionate about
alleviating the landmine crisis then go after that. It doesn’t have to be
Iranian for Iranian. It has to be Humanity for
Humanity.
DK: Why isn’t there
the same International mobilization for Human Rights in Iran as it has been the case in the past for lets
say for South
Africa’s Nelson Mandela whom you greatly
admire?
NAJ: They are
different issues; however I suppose racial apartheid has superseded “sexual
apartheid” as you, Dariush, call it. There has been huge mobilization of women
and men in Iran fighting for their rights.
Internationally there have been huge campaigns to bring the plight of women to
the forefront. Perhaps we are in the need of a great leader like Nelson Mandela
to bring unity to the cause.
DK: Parallel to
your activities, you are also undertaking a career as a singer. Your latest song
SOMEDAY- (THE
REVOLUTION SONG)
seems very much inspired by your personal family experience. What message are
you trying to convey through this song?
NAJ: Through my
song Someday, I am trying to bring hope to anyone who has been a victim of
injustice. It speaks to anyone who has had to flee their country because of
political unrest. It sings to anyone who wants change. My family and many
Iranians have been witness to a “Regressive Revolution”, I sing in hopes that
“Someday we will find a way”. I dedicate this song to Nazanin and the other
oppressed youth of Iran.
DK: According to
the current Iranian law the life of a Women is worth half that of a Man. So according to this
law had Nazanin’s aggressor killed her he would not be condemned to death, is
that correct?
NAJ: Yes, to my
understanding a man would have to kill 2 women to get the same sentence as
Nazanin.
DK: Your online
petition has drawn a considerable amount of signatures from all over the world.
How else can people concretely help Nazanin ?
NAJ: At the time of
this interview there are 40 000 signatures and growing quickly. In addition to
the petition, one can write personal letters to the UN, Iranian Officials, local
members of parliament and local Iranian embassies. Inform your local media about
the case of young Nazanin in Iran and ask them to post the
petition link. Raise awareness in your schools, at your workplace and in your
communities about Nazanin and others like her. Send the story to everyone you know and
post blogs. Get the word out! I will have constant updates on my website.
Addresses to the Iranian Officials can also be found on my website
www.nazanin.ca
DK: Thank you Miss
Afshin-Jam for your time and we truly wish you success in saving
Nazanin.
Authors Notes:
http://www.melbourneprotests.bravehost.com/mdc/iran.html
Nazanin is not alone, at least eight minors
in Iran were hanged in 2005 in direct
violation of the International Convention on the Rights of the
Child.
For more information please visit the
Amnesty International Site:
www.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE130052006
See Online Petition
:
http://petitiononline.com/Nazanin
(*) Nazanin Afshin-Jam has a double major degree in
International Relations and Political Science at UBC in Vancouver, L’Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po) in
Paris. She
speaks in English, French, Persian and Spanish.
Official website of Nazanin Afshin-Jam :
http://www.nazanin.ca
Nazanin’s 12 song album will be released
in July 2006. A sample of her music can be found at:
http://www.myspace.com/nazaninmusic
About the Author: Darius KADIVAR is
a freelance journalist and Paris based film editor of Namak Magazine
LA/USA
