Because she was not a virgin, her marriage was annulled by the court of
Teheran? Of Kabul? NO!! By the Court of First Hearing of Lille, in
France. The verdict fell like a “fatwa against the liberty of the women
of France”. Thanks to wide spread outrage, the appeal by the
prosecutor’s office of Lille is a first victory, but the battle is far
from won.
The court recognized the virginity as an essential quality of a woman
to validate a marriage.
This decision is a veritable regression that goes against our moral
evolution and our republican principles. By upholding the argument of
this man, we are upholding the execution of our femininity, the
execution of our liberty. Even if the justice of our country is
incontestably independent and sovereign, the debate is still open and
independent.
The overwhelming condemnation of this young girl inscribes itself in a
social context, and condemns with it the millions of young girls who,
recalling it, will permanently live under the pressure and the weight
of patriarchal traditions.
Yet even 5 years ago, Ni Putes Ni Soumises was speaking out against the
harsh situations in which the women of the ghettos were living.
How many Sohannes, Samiras, Chahrazads must we have so that the justice
system will protect all women? All these victims suffering under a
fundamentalist ideology, an archaic tradition, an honour-based
oppression.
We are attached to secularism, to liberty, to equality, and to
diversity. Far from being abstract notions, these values are the true
foundation of our emancipation. Throughout Europe, Fathy in Belgium,
Souad in Italy, Amineh in Sweden, embraced these values under the
banner of Ni Putes Ni Soumises. Because for us, it is a question of
survival. It is the meaning of our feminist project.
How many young people will be driven to suicide because of a simple
flirtation, or suffer reprisals for having spoken to a boy or for
having let their hair down? But no one seems bothered by these women
who suffer in silence!
We fight for our emancipation and fight to have the right to
enjoy our bodies. What an illusion! We thought that justice was on our
side: for the progress and rights of women! In fact, it was not. It
echoes archaic traditions.
This decision is like the bell tolling for all the women who fight in
India, in Iran, in Pakistan, in Morocco, in Algeria and elsewhere,
against stoning, against honor crimes. The defense of secularism is a
requisite condition of the emancipation of women and democracy.
We call all the defenders of women’s rights to mobilize. We
need to fight together to keep our rights as citizens. French Justice
cannot accept a decision this regressive and humiliating for women. The
legislators must act quickly to change this weakness in the law,
because we are headed towards a consecration of segregation.
Legitimization of the disowning of women, female circumcision, honor crimes, forced marriages: these are the long term dangers!
We must be wary of all that can lead us toward a “justice à la
carte” where each can choose his menu according to his customs, his
religion, his philosophy. And all that, to the detriment of the
equality and the right of women.
Tags: fatwa, liberte, liberty, neither virgins, nor submissives, tgi, vierge
