The status of women in Iran is precarious at best. There are strides made, but, extremism continues.

October 25, 2014

By Claudie Puig

...The United Nations, (click here) as well as Amnesty International, and other human rights groups had called for a halt to the execution, which was carried out after the country's Supreme Court upheld the verdict.

"We join our voice with those who call on Iran to respect the fair trial guarantees afforded to its people under Iran's own laws and its international obligations," Psaki added.

The court ruling in her 2009 sentence rejected the claim of attempted rape, saying evidence — including the purchase of a knife two days earlier for protection — proved Jabbari plotted to kill Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi, a former employee of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security.

"The knife had been inflicted on the back of the deceased, indicating the murder was not self-defense," the court ruling stated. A police investigation found Jabbari sent a text to a friend saying she would kill Sarbandi three days before the incident, according to IRNA.

Amnesty International said Jabbari confessed to the murder immediately after her 2007 arrest, citing self-defense after Sarbandi tried to sexually abuse her. The group called the investigation into Jabbari's claims "deeply flawed."...       

The Revolution caused repeal of many advances women made previously. 

A few examples illustrate the nature of the reversal: (click here)

- Enforcement of compulsory hejab (or veil) or the Islamic code of dress, which deprived women of the right to choose their own attire;

- Repeal of reforms in family laws;

- A ban on appointment of women as judges and expulsion or change of the employment status of female judges;

- Forbidding women employed by the armed forces from receiving military ranks and reducing their employment status to that of office employees;

- Stoppage of the family planning and population control policy;

- Legislation of the Islamic Penal Code according to which women's right to live is not protected as the right of a full human being and in which young girls of nine years of age (but not boys) are considered of age of criminal responsibility, and the decision that testimony of women is not the equivalent of the testimony of men;

- Emphasis on the absolute right of custody for the father or the paternal grandfather in the matter of matrimony of female children to the extent that the father or the grandfather can marry a child of nine years of age to any man he intends....

The sexual status of a woman is overwhelming in the social settings of Iran. In that regard, Iran is not much different than Pakistan. While The West would expect a woman under such circumstances to be honored when stating she was threatened with rape that caused her to act that is not the case in Iran. Ms. Jabbari was realized to be the killer of Mr. Sarbandi, the task that would follow would be to win a reprieve from the deceased's family. That did not occur. Ms. Jabbari's word is far less important than anyone else playing a part in her prosecution. 

Yet, Tehran oversees such inequity such as gang rape while women are attempting to rise out of the mire of gender.

June 15, 2011
Recent reports of gang rapes (click here) in Iran are worrying women and raising questions about social values, reports Mohammad Manzarpour of the BBC Persian Service.

In a religiously conservative town near the city of Isfahan, women at a private party were abducted last month and gang raped at knife point.

One week later, a female university student was attacked and raped by unknown assailants on the heavily-guarded campus in Masshad, a holy city.

In both cases, officials accused the victims of not wearing the hijab or headscarf in the proper fashion and general un-Islamic conduct.

These high-profile cases and the derogatory comments made by Iranian authorities have outraged women's rights groups who have long complained of the increasingly high rate of sexual harassment....

I understand law and justice is different in Iran. But, at some point the Supreme Leader needs to revitalize a better status for women. The revolution was to bring equity to the people from a top down dictatorship indulged in opulence and narcissistic values. I understand all that, but, at the same time the former Shah was so involved with himself he never really paid attention to the people and women gained status and opportunity. They were not the focus of sexual status which reflects the status more of men then women.

Virgin, wife, mother and grandmother are all sexual status, but, best valued by men more than women. The sexual status of a women reflects in turn that of men.

While the global community dearly wanted to participate in elevating the virtues of this woman, Iran simply chugged along without recognizing the focus. I think it is wrong. When such focus exists by those outside of Iran it is an opportunity. An opportunity to bring The West and Iran a step closer together.