On Sunday, February 14th, a Hamas-run Islamic court ruled that unmarried women in the Gaza Strip now require permission from a male ‘guardian’ to travel, which is usually an older male relative. A married woman would require approval from her husband. Permission to travel without guardianship would have to be authorized by a court.
On Wednesday, February 10th, the United Nations released a report describing the heinous human rights violations in Iran. The report reveals appalling details of electric shock and other means of torture that the Islamic Republic of Iran uses against LGBT children while claiming their intent is to “cure” them.
According to ‘Muslim Personal Law,’ a Muslim girl is free to marry anyone of her choice once she reaches puberty. The Indian High Court recently upheld this law.
The court’s ruling came after a Muslim couple filed with the court, pleading for protection from threatening relatives. Family members were opposed to their marriage due to the significant age difference between them. They sought protection from the Mohali Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).
Police recently arrested five people for making death threats against the French teenager who said Islam is a ‘shit’ religion in a viral video.
Mila, the teenage girl (her last name is kept private), previously defended her intense atheist beliefs on French television after she offended Islam. During one outburst, she said the Quran is ‘full of hate.’
Nothing says "my religion isn't shit" like threatening teenage girls for saying otherwise.
Two gay men fled to Russia after escaping alleged torture in Chechnya. On February 3rd, they were seized by Russian police and taken back to Chechen police.
Human rights activists commend Indonesia’s decision to mandate public schools to allow students autonomy when choosing their attire. The schools’ practice of forcing women to wear religious clothing is now banned as of February 3rd.
Four students, who attend Istanbul's Bogazici University in Turkey, were arrested due to artwork depicting LGBT rainbow symbols alongside an image of Islam’s most sacred site, the Kaaba.
Some news outlets report the indistinct description of “LGBT rainbow symbols” alongside the Kaaba. To be more precise, four different flags were portrayed in each corner, featuring the iconic rainbow flag, and three others individually representing the lesbian, transexual, and asexual community.
Last week, lawmakers in France debated a bill aiming to rout out only “radical” Islam. These laws hope to prevent radical beliefs from seeping through to the community that will affect the whole country with plans that undermine national values.
The bill’s sponsor, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, says the laws are designed to stop “an Islamist hostile takeover targeting Muslims.” He insists that “we are not fighting against a religion,” though many Muslims are worried the amendments will increase stigmas against them.
Belgium officials are deporting a Turkish imam for ‘sowing the seeds of hatred’ with homophobic comments on a popular social media platform that facilitates the power to affect public opinion.
