Some women’s rights advocates see the current bill as an important step, but it is unclear whether the new conservative Parliament — elected in February after the majority of critics and reformers were disqualified — will pass it. But even if the bills passed, they would not change the punishment for a father killing his child. Murder in Iran is subject to the death penalty under the Shariah mandate of “an eye for an eye.” But the penal code, based on Islamic law, exempts a guardian from capital punishment for killing his child. Under the Islamic patriarchy that has governed Iran for the past 40 years, changing Shariah is not an option. “How is it possible that a father kills and he is not held accountable and he does not face capital punishment?” Faezeh Hashemi, a prominent women’s rights activist and former lawmaker, told local media.

Source: New York Times June 07, 2020 06:56 UTC