- Iranian Mullah Creeps on Breastfeeding Mother: Gets Instant Karma
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/iranian-cleric-creeps-breastfeeding-mother-gets-instant-karma
Location: Iran
A shocking viral video from Iran captures a disturbing confrontation at a Qom health clinic, where an Islamic cleric covertly used his mobile phone to record a young breastfeeding mother after her hijab slipped down over her shoulders - intending to document a violation of Iran's mandatory hijab laws. When the mother realized she was being filmed, she swiftly confronted the cleric, demanding "Sir, check your phone and delete the videos you took of me." However, the defiant cleric refused, yelling "I won't delete it!" triggering a physical altercation as other women also confronted him about the recording. The leaked footage of the explosive incident ignited outrage, with many condemning the cleric's actions as repressive enforcement of hijab rules through harassment and surveillance, while hardliners defended it as upholding religious duty. As one Twitter user remarked that it exposes the "wide opposition to the mandatory hijab laws that the regime was unable to enforce them even in Qom" - Iran's major religious center. The prosecutor vowed to investigate, not the cleric, but instead vowed that Iranian intelligence agencies will work to "teach a lesson" to whoever leaked the damning CCTV footage.
- Pakistani Student Sentenced To Death For "Blasphemy" Over WhatsApp Messages
Location: Pakistan
A harrowing case of Pakistan's draconian blasphemy laws has emerged, with a 22-year-old student sentenced to death over WhatsApp messages deemed insulting to the Prophet Muhammad. The court in Punjab province also handed a 17-year-old life imprisonment for the same charges relating to "obscene material" shared on the messaging app, despite protests that they were "trapped in a false case." The lawyer for the two students declared they would appeal, stating "the father of the student who is on death row will appeal the decision to the Lahore High Court." This devastating ruling lays bare the extreme dangers of Pakistan's blasphemy laws, which make insults to Islam's prophet punishable by death and have repeatedly sparked violent mob attacks on the accused, even when allegations prove baseless. As one netizen tweeted, such laws have "taken many innocent lives" and run counter to Pakistan's constitutional promise of rights for minorities.
- Atheist Republic Member Faces Brutal Harassment from Radical Islamists
Location: India
A popular Tamil Nadu-based atheist podcast co-hosted by an Atheist Republic member, titled "Schumy Vanna Kaviyangal" (SVK) which promotes Dravidian ideology - an anti-caste, anti-religious movement for social reform - has faced escalating harassment, doxxing, and chilling death threats from radical Islamist groups over an old episode from August 2020 that scrutinized leaders across religions like Hinduism, Christianity and Islam as "f*cking idiots." While SVK had previously edited out the approximately 10-minute-long section criticizing Islam amidst the four-hour-long podcast to quell tensions, an uncut version recently circulated, leading to a renewed backlash. Co-founder "Haashiraamaa Senju" revealed the disturbing details: "Family members of SVK staff are being followed around...One staffer received pictures of his family members and himself...hinting at the possibility of being followed." The threats appear politically motivated ahead of national elections, with SVK alleging a Muslim group linked to the Welfare Party of India is "roiling other Islamic groups to attack us, to benefit the BJP alliance" by falsely linking the SVK podcast to the opposition DMK party. Despite issuing an apology that stated that they will continue to criticize religion, but should not have used profanity, Islamist groups have filed police complaints against members of the podcast. “But we will not be deterred”, Senju exclaimed.
- Uncovered: Iran's Brazen Attempt to Assassinate A Random Israeli in Peru
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/uncovered-irans-brazen-attempt-assassinate-random-israeli-peru
Location: Peru
In an alarming development exposing Iran's persistent sponsorship of global terrorism, Peruvian authorities claim to have disrupted an Iranian plot to carry out a terrorist attack at the major Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) being hosted in the country throughout 2024. Authorities identified the alleged plotter as Majid Azizi, an Iranian national who was arrested on Thursday afternoon after he withdrew money from an ATM. Azizi was working with at least two Peruvian accomplices, though only one has been apprehended so far. It is alleged that Azizi was planning to assassinate a random Israeli civilian tourist businessman in Peru, with the plot believed to be orchestrated by Iran's shadowy Quds Force. This latest thwarted attack revives chilling memories of the 2014 case where Iranian proxy Hezbollah operative Mohammed Amadar was caught accumulating explosives and surveilling Jewish and Israeli targets across Peru, a plot that was halted after authorities were tipped off by Israeli intelligence. This new arrest highlights the persistent efforts by the Iranian regime to sow chaos through violent extremism on a global scale.
- Eating During Ramadan? Islamic Police in Nigeria Will Arrest You For That
https://www.atheistrepublic.com/news/eating-during-ramadan-islamic-police-nigeria-will-arrest-you
Location: Nigeria
During the holy month of Ramadan, a period marked by fasting from dawn to sunset, the Islamic police force, known as Hisbah, in the northern Nigerian state of Kano, arrested 11 Muslims for eating during daylight hours. Kano, where Sharia law is implemented alongside secular law, sees the Hisbah actively monitoring public compliance with Ramadan's fasting requirements. Lawal Fagge, the spokesperson for the Hisbah, emphasized the focus on maintaining religious observance, stating, "We don't arrest non-Muslims because this doesn't concern them, and the only time they could be guilty of a crime is when we find out they cook food to sell to Muslims that are supposed to be fasting." The individuals arrested, including a woman selling groundnuts, were released after promising to adhere to fasting for the remainder of Ramadan and, in some cases, were handed over to their families for closer supervision. This action underscores the strict adherence to religious practices enforced in parts of Nigeria, reflecting the broader tensions between secular laws and religious mandates.
