UPDATES AND MORE:
4 April 2013: Today is our day to defend our Amina
3 April 2013: For Amina: My body against political Islam. No Sharia.
3 April 2013: On 4 April, we will breast them!
2 April 2013: Why an International Day to Defend Amina?
2 April 2013: I have no regrets
28 March 2013: Free Amina, Free Tunisia: It is the same cry
27 March 2013: Amina must be back at school next week
25 March 2013: Don’t stop fighting for Amina!
23 March 2013:Let’s Breast Them
Farsi translation of letter: آمنه صداي ماست
22 March 2013: Release Amina Now!
21 March 2013: FEMEN Tunisia’s Facebook page hacked
19 March 2013: Amina represents me
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19 year old Tunisian Amina who posted a topless photo of herself bearing the slogan “my body belongs to me, and is not the source of anyone’s honour” has been threatened with death.
Islamist cleric Adel Almi, president of Al-Jamia Al-Li-Wassatia Tawia Wal-Islah, has called for Amina’s flogging and stoning to death saying Amina’s actions will bring misfortune by causing “epidemics and disasters” and “could be contagious and give ideas to other women…”
We, the undersigned, unequivocally defend Amina, and demand that her life and liberty be protected and that those who have threatened her be immediately prosecuted.
On 4 April 2013, we call for an International Day to Defend Amina.
Amina represents us all.
On the day and beyond, groups and individuals can join in by highlighting her case, posting topless photos of themselves and their activism on social media sites, signing a petition, Tweeting #Amina, writing letters in her defence, and more.
On 4 April, we will remind the Islamists and the world that the real epidemic and disaster that must be challenged is misogyny – Islamic or otherwise.
Signed
Aliaa Magda Elmahdy, Egyptian Nude Photo Revolutionary
Alina Isabel Pérez, Filmmaker
Amanda Brown, We are Atheism Founder
Annie Sugier, President of Ligue du Droit International des Femmes
Arash T. Riahi, Film Director
Caroline Fourest, Writer and Journalist; most recent film: “Our Breasts; Our Arms”
Darina Al-Joundi, Lebanese Actress and Author of “The Day Nina Simone Stopped Singing”
Deeyah, Music Composer and Filmmaker; most recent film “Banaz: A Love Story” about an honour killing
Elia Tabesh, Iranian Women in Support of Nude Photo Revolutionary Calendar
Equal Rights Now – Organisation against Women’s Discrimination in Iran
Fariborz Pooya, Iranian Secular Society
Farzana Hassan, Writer
Fatou Sow, President of the Groupe de recherche sur les femmes et les lois au Sénégal
FEMEN
Fiammetta Venner, Filmmaker and Writer
Greta Christina, Writer and Blogger
Houzan Mahmoud, Spokesperson of Organisation for Women’s Freedom in Iraq
Inna Shevchenko, FEMEN Spokesperson
International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning
Jacek Tabisz, President of Polish Rationalist Society
Joseph Paris, Radical Cinema
Kareem Amer, Egyptian Blogger
Kian Azar, Communist Youth Organisation
Marian Tudor, President of Romanian Association for Workers’ Emancipation
Marieme Helie Lucas, Algerian Sociologist and founder of Secularism is a Women’s Issue
Maryam Namazie, Campaigner and Spokesperson for Equal Rights Now – Organisation against Women’s Discrimination in Iran and initiator of Nude Photo Revolutionary Calendar
Mina Ahadi, Spokesperson of International Committee against Stoning and International Committee against Execution
Nadia El-Fani, Tunisian Filmmaker; most recent films “Neither Allah nor Master” and “Our Breasts; Our Arms”
Nahla Mahmoud, Sudanese Researcher and Human Rights Activist
Nina Sankari, President of European Feminist Initiative Poland and Secularist
Richard Dawkins, Scientist
Rumy Hassan, Writer
Safia Lebdi, Co-founder of Neither Whores nor Submissives
Secularism is a Women’s Issue
Soad Baba Aïssa, Women’s Rights Campaigner
Sohaila Sharifi, Iranian Women’s Rights Campaigner
Sundas Hoorain, Pakistani Human Rights Lawyer
Tarek Fatah, Writer
Taslima Nasrin, Bangladeshi Writer
For more information on the International Day to Defend Amina, contact:
Maryam Namazie
tel: +44 (0) 7719166731
email: maryamnamazie@gmail.com
web: https://maryam.wlfserver.xyz/
blog: https://maryam.wlfserver.xyz/
Inna Shevchenko
FEMEN
tel: +33605857180
e-mail: femen.ua@gmail.com
web: http://femen.org/en
lets see now, isnt this really all about the Islamic Koranic laws, huh, and these writers seem to want to lay most of the blame and guilt on the western system, or to lay blame on western aystems as if they are responsable for the behaviour of Islamic misogeny. lets keep Islamic misogyny where it belongs – in Islamic country’s, IF WE ARE GOING TO ATTACK THE WESTERN SYSTEM LETS DO IT AS A SPECIFIC STRUGGLE.
rod qld aust
But that is the current thinking, Rod, around the world. There is a burgeoning undercurrent/left wing mindset which underpins so much and the common thread is that the west is to blame for everything that is wrong in the world and they must pay, literally and figuratively. It expresses itself in all sorts of ways, large and small, and informs political party thought and governments and organisations, such as the UN. But how the west could possibly be responsible for an extreme retro attitude of males against women in the mindsets of some Muslim sects/countries beggars belief.
FUCK YOUR MORAL! NO to Islam, Allah, Mohammad, Goran, sharia low, Imam,… and all religion. Islam is fascism, anti women, kids, humanity, free and happy life. every body lets do unite for Amina and Amina,s right,s and stop Islamic fascism around the world NOW !! we are more then 1,000,000,000 and can do it. we need to this acct and show our voice and power for gate real free and happy happy life.This is time for Islam and exec go to hell for ever. everrr ! long life women,s world revolution. long life freedom, equality and happy life for all human
This is nothing more than the continued oppression of women by men. What are these men afraid of? Do they think that they have nothing at all of value to women so they have to FORCE women into submission? A true man loves and respects women. Tunisian men (and women) need to speak up or be thought of as nothing more than pigs.
… indeed we are with her and all the women that share her free spirit … they all deserve better than to be oppressed by islamist cave-men!
It saddens me to think that this young lady could die simply because of the male ego and corruption of religious thought, surely the Prophet did not have this in mind. It’s not the faith that is at fault but the morons who interpret it to suit their own ends.. And to the people who condone this treatment of this young lady, here’s a thought strap a bomb to your body go out in to the desert away from people and do the world a favour
Amina has the courage to stand upfor her principles and should be supported by all of us who believe in freedom and gender equality.
It seems that in Islamic countries, all females are victims. To be victims there must be a crime or injustice. Islam is therefore a crime.
Amina has been locked away as mentally ill for the crime of having courage, not wishing to be owned. Is this medieval reaction the sort of bloom found in the Arab Spring?
As a man and a relative of women/girls, I totally oppose treatment of women or girls, in any disrespectful and/or objectionable way.
It is only a weak and/or inferior man or organization who would behave towards a female that way – not a strong and proud one!
Amina’s stance deserves to be respected, as an expression of a person’s rightful wish and demand for personal and others’ deserved freedom and entitlement, not least as a consequence of the United Nations’ (Universal Declaration of) Human Rights.
Free Amina at once, opponents and infidels* of the Human Rights!
(*’Non-believers in Human Rights’)
Men are afraid of women. That’s why they try to control women. Men will not succeed when the women of the world unite.
Yours is a very extreme comment @Rosie. So sad that such issues have to become so polarised. SOME men try to control women but not all. For example extremist Muslim men do and are fundamentally afraid of women but certainly not ALL Muslim men. However, it really isn’t a war between women and men. That is such a simplistic view; to try to demonise all men. As a mature woman I lament this resurgence with a vengeance of women’s rights. It really does the ‘sisterhood’ no good. And your reaction is no less extreme than that of the men you are accusing of being so sexist. Perhaps you are very young with a lot of misplaced anger and you think this is the place to put it. You are wrong.
I don’t find Rosie’s post so divisive, as you seem to find it, Becky. What is true is that men are steeped in sexism and male domination. Every man is a good person and every man is an agent of sexism. Men are also clearly affected by male domination; they experience it themselves and they act out in this way also. I don’t think of it as an us vs. them battle or women vs. men. I think of it more as all of us (women and men) vs. sexism/male domination. When women unite and say NO to sexism, things will change. When we all stand up together (whatever gender we have) and say NO to male domination, it will be a beautiful thing…
Becky,
I’m not a young woman hurt by a few men. I am 58 years old and have seen a lot of systemic injustices of men against women. Are you forgetting pornography? The inequality of pay checks for the same work? Domestic violence? Prostitution? Deadbeat dads? Yes, there are exceptions. And there are women who do these hurtful things too. But most of these horrible disrespectful acts are done by and because of men.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a man hater. I’m married to the best man I ever met. But the fact remains that men are born with a sense of entitlement and society encourages it.
Rosie
I am curious, Rosie, as to what you mean by a “deadbeat Dad”. I would really like to know. But of course I am not forgetting pornography or prostitution or any of the other things you mentioned. Which by the way many men reject also find appalling. The worst crime, and not in your list, is pedophilia and I suppose that on balance that is largely perpetrated by men.
In all cultures we raise boys differently from girls and there are different expectations on them. Much has changed in western society but sometimes these old expectations get twisted and develop into extreme behaviour. However, we are all a product of acculturation, both males and females. Some of that has been wrong but it has ever been thus.
However, the important thing is to be able to recognise the problems created and address them. Sadly, extreme Muslim views (which are not ALL Muslims’ views) seem incapable of applying any enlightened thinking on any such problem and simply hark back to the views of some unenlightened prophet from so long ago. No room at all for change or improvement. And so it goes.
A deadbeat dad is a father who does not support his children. They walk away from their marriage and their children. That is what they are called here in the states. Where are you from?
Born in the U.S.A. but most of adult life in Australia where we also have plenty of “deadbeat dads”.
Amina,
Fight strong – may your strength, courage, patience and luck never run out.
The clerics and (other assorted mad) men that threaten you are cowards and hide behind the curtains of “culture” and “religion”.
They are wrong. They warrant prosecution for expressing hateful thoughts and actions and for violation of your right for self expression.
Arab Muslim society is so inherently backward that no amount of aid, education or democracy can pull this culture from the dark age. Even Arab Muslim communities in the West are unable to adopt modern humane values when living in the home of the Enlightenment. Even modern Turkey, founded by a Freemason, can’t produce a culture free of honour killings and labeling Western women whores.
I admire ‘Amina’s courage but the only realistic hope for Arab women wishing to flaunt an independent mind or body is to partake in the brain drain that always moves West, not East.
There isn’t one Arab culture. Amina and Aliaa also represent one aspect of Arab culture.
Brave woman– thank you!!!
Good for you Amina. You have my support
Why are some men so afraid of women that they have to suppress and bully them?
We the undersigned unequivocally defend Amina, and demand that her life and liberty are protected and that those who have threatened her will be immediately prosecuted.
Amina the courageous warrior!!! I am so in awe of your incredible act to stand up & fight for the basic human rights of women around the globe who are ruled under the political ideology hiding under the banner of religion known as Islam. I pray that your plight for freedom will be taken seriously on the global stage & ultimately unite humanity to stand up against the abhorrent oppression of Islam which is creeping into our civilised societies & destroying the very fabric of our humanity with their repulsive regime akin to Adolf Hitler. Enough!!!! We must stand up & fight for the expulsion of Islam globally & their barbaric sharia law!!
May the light finally shine where it is needed the most to expose these monsters & bring them to justice! To all fellow bloggers lets help spread the word on the global stage with our respective politicians ,prime minsters, presidents & celebrities! Save Our beautiful Amina!!!!
I’m fully support and standing the courageous AMINA, the free women and men in Algeria stand together behind this daring step, to eradicate the barbarian behavior of new emerging wave of obscurantism in Arab world.
It is a clash of two opposing paradigms. The people who live in and abide by the society of fundamentalist sharia law cannot and never will see or understand anything different from … retribution to those who transgress that sharia law. Nothing more to say really other than nothing less than a monumental ground swell of people (read people power) to change this situation.
I support Amina and wish her every chance to survive unscathed but I fear she played her trump card and is now merely a passenger and that the only hope for the cause is for other people from her country to step in and take up the mantle.
Stand proud Amina. The whole world is with you. You will survive and do Woman proud.
Good on you Amina and good on all you journalists who are highlighting her plight. If I were a woman I would follow Amina’s example and if I were a journalist I would regularly write articles to expose the injustices woman face around the world. Since I’m a male I’ll support by spreading the message and by buying the publications that expose those prejudices. I’m just so fed up with all the barbaric men around the world who treat woman as second class citizens. It is the men who are the intellectually inferior sex and this needs to be shown in a peaceful way. Well done and good luck
Amina courage ma chere!
Vous etes dans nos pensees et prieres……c’est la merde la religion…..!
Amina
Your courage is motivating and honourable. I wish you patience….we can win.
Courage ma chere!
Votre courage desinteresse et position phenomenale contre la barbarie de la societe patriarcale orthodoxe – eleve………; vous etes dans mes pensess et prieres chere Amina
I am a reactionary but agree that all of us have a right to expression as long as no other person is hurt by our views Fundamentalist of any type are a problem for humanity
A woman on the internet citing an example of actual, rather than faux ,misogyny! Wonders never cease. Though i hate to be on the list of supporters that include those femen nutters, i will post the petition to my site, twitter etc. I guess it’s the agnostic in me, but being young and stupid doesn’t merit death.
This is a very real example of misogyny, unlike the juvenile tirade made by our current P.M. here in Australia which was posted on youtube and had so many hits. Her expose was nothing more than a political stunt against her opponent who is most definitely NOT a misogynist as she would like people to believe.
HOWEVER, this young woman is truly a victim of misogyny which is too culturally embedded in so many countries and is unacceptable fundamentally and certainly in the 21st century.
The fact that she may be flogged or put to death for such a benign act is reprehensible and totally indefensible. How dare her family have commit her to an institution for this? How primitive and most definitely does not demonstrate an act or response by “educated and open-minded” people, as her mother claims their family is.
Dear Amina
I pray that you will have an opportunity to read this blog soon and know that you are a very brave young woman who stood up for your rights. I cannot imagine how brave you are and to be able to stand up against the oppression you deal with daily.
We are behind you.
M
I admire you Amina!!!
Brave Amina! And sexy too 🙂
Good luck
Free Amina!