A campaign of support and a petition have started to defend Marywan Halabjaye, a Kurdish writer which dared to write and publish a book criticizing Sharia and islam concerning the status of women : “Sex, Sharia, women”.
The United Islamic Party, the Islamic League and the Islamic Movement, have violently taken position against the book and legally complaint. In the same time, a religious agitation has been orchestrated by mullahs in towns, villages, mosques, though we can doubt that 1.5 % of agitators have red Halabajee’s work.
Houzan Mahmoud, from the Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq – (UK Branch) condemns vigorously the attacks against the writer and asked to Kurdish authorities to prothect him and his family, while he should live hidden for the moment, and to guarantee the freedom of expression and secularism in Kurdistan.
For the moment the most visible official reaction from Kurdish authorities is the desastrous role of Maruf Gaznayi, Ministry of Religion in Silêmanî (why there is still a governement in Silêmanî after the statement of unification ????) which led the demonstration in the city and promised that the writer would be punished.
As we can see, the minsitry is absolutely sure of Kurdish judges’ independance…
The ministry added that law punished any critics religion… Should Kurdistan become an islamic or a secular state ? That is the social and political question asking in the case.
Could we make a parallel between Halabjaye’s case and 12 Danish pictures ?
Absolutely not. I did not read the book, but criticisizing the political and social conception of society from Islam is the right of any Kurdish citizen, as they could criticize and debate about else ideologies, parties, political and religious legislations. For living in country influenced by islam obliges any citizen of this country to take position -approving or contesting -, concerning an ideology which dictates people how they live… It is not only a personnal affair to believers, for mullahs themselves like to intervene in any aspect of social life. Then they should accept opposition, for democracy is based on free debates about any kind of problems.
And at the end, citizens chose by voting for the society they wish to have. But in any case, free expression should be threatened.
The Petition supporting Marywan Halabajee could be signed there.
[…] Coincidentally in these days we hear the similar news of large muslem protests against some small caricatures, And again coincidentally in Southern Kurdistan (Iraqi Occupied) the minister of religion affairs arranged a protest against Marywan Halabjaye, Kurdish writer for publishing a book criticizing Islam. […]