AROUND THE WORLD

Iranian History Professor Faces Death For Insulting Islam

A death sentence against an Iranian history professor for allegedly insulting Islam was reinstated in May.

In November 2002, Hashem Aghajari, a history professor at Tehran teachers' college, was convicted of insulting Islam and questioning the rule of clerics. Aghajari was sentenced to receive more than 70 lashes and condemned to death. The sentence sparked large student demonstrations and criticism from President Mohammad Khatami.

In a rare move, Iran's supreme spiritual leader, Ayatollah AIi Khamenei, urged the court to reconsider the professor's conviction. The Iran Supreme Court lifted the death sentence in early 2003.

But a court in the western province of Hamedan reviewed the case and in early May reimposed the professor's death sentence, the Associated Press reported. Hamedan's chief judiciary officials said the Supreme Court would again look at the verdict, and Aghajari's attorney said the "sentence is not final."

President Khatami has again criticized the court that initially issued Aghajari's death sentence, saying the professor had done more for the country than "that inexperienced judge who unjustly accused him of apostasy."

France May Train Imams About Human Rights

In an effort to prevent Muslim leaders from promoting extreme dogma, a top French government official has suggested that the country begin training imams to respect human rights.

In late April, French officials expelled an imam who said unfaithful wives should be stoned. The next day, Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin told a gathering of local religious leaders that he would not hesitate to deport other preachers from the country who advocate violence, hatred, racism or human rights abuses, The Guardian, a London-based newspaper, reported.

De Villepin also said that France had to "face the issue of training imams. I ask you to help the Muslim faith get organized better and more quickly so that a real 'French Islam' can emerge," he said.

The New York Times reported on April 30 that France had kicked five Muslim clerics out of the country this year and that dozens have been tossed out since 2001. The latest expulsion was that of Abdelkader Bouziane, who told a reporter that husbands should hit their wives, that polygamy is acceptable, that women are inferior to men and that listening to music is a sin.

According to the Times, Bouziane told the reporter that a man shouldn't hit his wife in the face, "but aim lower, the legs or the stomach." he added that a man is justified in hitting his wife with great force to instill fear in her.

Copyright Americans United for Separation of Church and State Jun 2004
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