Tag: stoning

DC: Theater Packed for Premiere of Film “The Stoning of Soraya M.”

On Friday night June 26, in Washington DC, the E Street Cinema theater had a packed showing for the film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” The audience reacted with concern and anguish over the suffering of women portrayed in the movie, based on the story of an actual stoning in Iran in 1986, as described in Freidoune Sahebjam’s book “The Stoning of Soraya M.”

To find out more about the film online, visit their website at:
http://www.thestoning.com/

We urge you to encourage others to go out and see the film which is playing in locations around the United States.

During the film, the characters are shown as using Islamic law as their defense and their basis for their false accusations against Soraya M. and for having the village stone her to death.

Thousands of women are murdered in so-called “honor killings” and stonings every year, around the world and in the United States.  Such terrorism against women must end. At the end of the film, Responsible for Equality And Liberty’s (R.E.A.L.) Jeffrey Imm invited the public to find out more about the honor killings and stonings of women that continue to go on around the world, and passed out cards with R.E.A.L.’s web site.   R.E.A.L. has several articles on Soraya’s story and activists who have tried to make more people aware of her story.  We welcome any interested new members to find out more about what we are doing and our events to be Responsible for Equality And Liberty for women and all other people.

Author Freidoune Sahebjam has been a portrait in courage in getting the story of Soraya M. to the public.  “Condemned to death by the Khomeini regime following an article he published in the Western press in 1979, Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam returned undercover to his native land in 1987.  There he met Soraya’s Aunt Zahra, who told him the full story and introduced him to Soraya’ s father and the mayor of the village, among others.”

DC: Women Speak Out on “Soraya M.” Film, Oppression of Women by Religious Supremacists, Misogynists

On Saturday, June 20, a public awareness event was held in the busy nightlife center of Washington DC’s Georgetown to inform the public about the upcoming release of the film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” and to make them aware of the broader war on women by religious extremists and misogynists.   The film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” is scheduled to premiere across the country – mostly on Friday, June 26 – and tells the true story of an Iranian woman who was stoned to death by religious extremists.

DC Women Denise Lee and Faith McDonnell Speak Out for Women's Rights
DC area women speak out for Women's Rights

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) organized this public awareness event in the heart of Washington DC’s Georgetown to help make the public aware of the DC theater showings of the film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” to be released in most locations on June 26, as well as other showings around the country.  Moreover, R.E.A.L. sought to expand public awareness of the global war on women by supremacists. in the form of stonings, honor killings, mutilations, oppression, and abuse of women.

http://www.thestoning.com/theaters/
http://www.thestoning.com/theaters/

We had signs and placards on these subjects; they passed out fliers about the upcoming film locations in DC and the larger war on women, passed out brochures about the film, and handed out business cards with our message of love and support for women’s universal human rights – everywhere.

R.E.A.L. estimated that several thousands of people passed by its public awareness event on the Georgetown street corner of Wisconsin and M Streets NW, and that materials were handed out to 600 individuals about the film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” and the ongoing struggle for women’s human rights.   With the public awareness event beginning at 6 PM ET, numerous visitors also saw the signs and placards (that were frequently held up high in the air) on this subject during the summer daily savings time, including busloads of visitors.

Denise Lee reaching out to DC Public on Extremist War on Women and Film "The Stoning of Soraya M."
Reaching out to DC public on War on Women and Film "The Stoning of Soraya M."

Denise Lee and Faith McDonnell in Public Awareness Event in DC's Georgetown on "The Stoning of Soraya M."

Public Awareness Event in DC’s Georgetown on “The Stoning of Soraya M.”


We spoke to the passers-by and crowd of visitors in Georgetown about how important the film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” is to see, to get a sense of what has been happening to women in Iran and around the world.  We spoke to passers-by on need to defend universal human rights for women around the world, and how vital it is for Americans to recognize that this threat to women’s human rights are not just in foreign nations, but also here in the United States as well.  We spoke to the global war on women by religious extremists who use such institutionalized ideologies to oppress, abuse, mutilate, and murder women.  In addition to the stoning and murder of women by supremacists in Iran, we spoke to recent so-called “honor killings” in Russia’s Chechnya and how the Chechen president has publicly stated that women deserve to die for so-called “loose morals.” Imm also spoke to the global femicide against women by supremacists using such “honor  killings” in America’s New York, Georgia, Texas, Cleveland, Indiana, in Canada, in UK, in Europe, in Pakistan, in Africa, in Afghanistan, in Iraq, in Jordan, in Lebanon, in Syria, in India, in Gaza, in West Bank, in Israel, and in Asia.   Imm stated that this continuing threat to women’s universal human rights is nothing less than a global “war on women” by supremacists.

In the Washington DC area, the film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” will be showing at the Washington DC E Street Cinema, Bethesda Row Cinema, and Shirlington 7 theater.  More details about such locations are listed below.

http://www.thestoning.com/theaters/
http://www.thestoning.com/theaters/

WASHINGTON DC
Washington, DC
E Street Cinema
6/26/09
555 11th St NW
Washington, DC 20004
202-452-7672
Get Directions
— this is the site a block away from FBI HQ, and a few blocks from Metro Center metro stop

MARYLAND
Bethesda, MD
Bethesda Row Cinema
6/26/09
7235 Woodmont Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-652-7273
Get Directions
— this is close to a large parking lot and about 6 blocks from the Bethesda metro stop

Parking:
In the immediate vicinity of the Bethesda Row Cinema there are three major parking lots. There are two outdoor ones across the street from the theatre and one large parking garage between Woodmont and Arlington on Bethesda Avenue. The small lots have very few 9-hour to 15-hour meters, and they fill up very quickly. These meters are silver, as opposed to the blue, dark gray and copper ones which range from 30 minutes to 2 hours. In the large parking garage between Woodmont and Arlington the first two levels (G-1 and 1) have 2-hour meters, while levels 2 through 5 have 15-hour meters. Parking is free in the lots on Saturday and Sunday, while street parking is free Sunday only. Parking Information

Metro & Trolley:
The theatre is minutes by foot from the Bethesda Metro station (on the Woodmont side), off the Red line. The Bethesda 8 trolley can be boarded at the Metro station; it takes riders on a scenic tour of downtown Bethesda before dropping them off directly across the street from the theatre. The trolley is free of charge.

VIRGINIA
Shirlington 7
2772 South Randolph St.
Arlington, VA 22206
Showtimes: 1-888-AMC-4FUN (1-888-262-4386)
Get Directions

June 26 – DC Area Theaters Showing “The Stoning of Soraya M.”

WASHINGTON DC
Washington, DC
E Street Cinema
6/26/09
555 11th St NW
Washington, DC 20004
202-452-7672
Get Directions
— this is the site a block away from FBI HQ, and a few blocks from Metro Center metro stop

MARYLAND
Bethesda, MD
Bethesda Row Cinema
6/26/09
7235 Woodmont Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-652-7273
Get Directions
— this is close to a large parking lot and about 6 blocks from the Bethesda metro stop

Parking:
In the immediate vicinity of the Bethesda Row Cinema there are three major parking lots. There are two outdoor ones across the street from the theatre and one large parking garage between Woodmont and Arlington on Bethesda Avenue. The small lots have very few 9-hour to 15-hour meters, and they fill up very quickly. These meters are silver, as opposed to the blue, dark gray and copper ones which range from 30 minutes to 2 hours. In the large parking garage between Woodmont and Arlington the first two levels (G-1 and 1) have 2-hour meters, while levels 2 through 5 have 15-hour meters. Parking is free in the lots on Saturday and Sunday, while street parking is free Sunday only. Parking Information

Metro & Trolley:
The theatre is minutes by foot from the Bethesda Metro station (on the Woodmont side), off the Red line. The Bethesda 8 trolley can be boarded at the Metro station; it takes riders on a scenic tour of downtown Bethesda before dropping them off directly across the street from the theatre. The trolley is free of charge.

VIRGINIA
Shirlington 7
2772 South Randolph St.
Arlington, VA 22206
Showtimes: 1-888-AMC-4FUN (1-888-262-4386)
Get Directions

Film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” to Premier June 20 in Los Angeles

(U.S.) Film “The Stoning of Soraya M.” to Premier June 20 in Los Angeles
— Saturday June 20, 3:30 PM PST
— Mann Festival Theatre 10887 Lindbrook Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90024
— “The Stoning will Premiere at the LA Film Festival June 20th buy your tickets now lafilmfest.com. Panel discussion to follow.”
— Actress Shohreh Aghdashloo Visits Good Day LA
— “Two at LAFF take residence”

— Film Web Site

— Projected List of Theater Release on June 26

— Other reports on R.E.A.L regarding “The Stoning of Soraya M.”

— Phyllis Chesler Related Articles:
— September 25, 2008: The Stoning of Soraya M in Iran: Not America’s Fault
— December 15, 2005: Islamic Gender Apartheid

May 17, 2009 – R.E.A.L. Challenges Extremist “War on Women”

Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) held a human rights public rally at the Washington DC Capitol Reflecting Pool on May 17 to address the global human rights challenge to equality and liberty and the extremist war on women in America and around the world.  We demanded that our legislators acknowledge this supremacist threat to our freedoms and call for action to fight it.  We believe that the first step is to broaden public awareness and concern about this growing human rights problem.

At the May 17 rally, we addressed the ongoing global problem of radical extremism that abuses Muslims, non-Muslims, and people around the world.   We reject an ideology opposed to the universal human rights of equality and liberty.  Furthermore, we addressed a “war on women” which takes place around the world, resulting in the demeaning of women, the oppression of women, attacks on women, and killing of women.

We addressed recent attacks around the world and so-called “honor killings” in the United States, Canada, UK, Europe, Iraq, India, Israel, Pakistan, Jordan, and throughout the Middle East.   It is estimated that 5,000 women are murdered in “honor killings” every year.  We read the names of women who have been known to be killed in such “honor killings.”

We addressed this problem of  “honor killings” in the United States and around the world.  We also spoke about the upcoming movie to be released “The Stoning of Soraya M.” about a stoning of a woman in Iran.   We encouraged the public and especially other women to see this movie “The Stoning of Soraya M” that is scheduled to be released on June 26, 2009, and she had posters regarding the movie.

One of our supporters recently saw a pre-release of this film, and she urged the public to visit the web site for this movie at http://www.thestoning.com. We also pointed out that such “honor killings” are an ongoing global problem; we addressed the case of a 13 year old girl who was stoned to death in Somalia at the end of October 2008 for her “crime” that she was gang-raped.  We further urged women to become educated on this ongoing repression and attacks on women around the world, including in the United States.

Other rally attendees sought to reach out to the public on this problem of attacks on women, and they distributed pamphlets regarding the upcoming movie “The Stoning of Soraya M.” out to the public.

Jeffrey Imm addressed that this issue is not unlike the unpopular issue of white supremacism that human rights groups needed to bring to the public’s attention in the 1960s.  He also addressed the issue of the war on women, including attacks that have been continuing in the United States, and indicated that R.E.A.L.’s concerns on this are for protecting both the safety and human rights of women both in America and around the world.  He then played the movie trailer for “The Stoning of Soraya M.” for the public with a portable computer linked to our sound system.

This is the third R.E.A.L. public rally in the past three months regarding the war on women, and R.E.A.L. plans to continue this public campaign in defense of women’s safety and inalienable human rights of equality and liberty.  We also plan to have a public rally in June to address the planned June 26 release of “The Stoning of Soraya M.” as it is representative of the continuing, global problem in the war against women.   More information on this planned June rally will be available soon.

One of our supporters is planning to continue to speak publicly on this issue of the “war on women.”   Jeffrey Imm is scheduled to speak on blogtalkradio on this subject on Wednesday, May 20 at 9:30 PM ET; the call in number is 347-838-8011.   You can find out more about the Wednesday blogtalkradio show online at:  http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FreeMeNow/

We note that, while the recent mainstream news media has saturated news coverage on swine flu deaths, there has been minimal to non-existent reporting on the issue of continuing, weekly “war on women” around the world.   We refuse to accept silence and indifference on the  “war on women.”

This “war on women,” which claims at least hundreds of victims every month, is a direct assault on nothing less than the human rights and lives of half of humanity itself.   R.E.A.L. believes that this existential human rights crisis must get the public and media coverage that this crisis deserves.

As one of the figures telling a French reporter in “The Stoning of Soraya M.” states “I want you to take my voice with you.”   We must continue to be the voice and the  defense for those women abused, oppressed, and murdered around the world who live in helpless and hopeless situations.  R.E.A.L. and all those human rights activists who defy this war on women” will continue to be that voice.  We view the lives of every woman as precious and unique, and we will continue to fight for their universal human rights as human beings.   “They cannot get away with this.”

“The Stoning of Soraya M” – Theater Listing for June 26 Premiere

Initial Listing of Nationwide theaters where “The Stoning of Soraya M.” is scheduled to be shown, premiering June 26, 2009:

Boston – Norfolk County
Chestnut Hill/Brookline CFB W Newton Cinema 6
Boston – Middlesex County
Cambridge LNDMRK Kendall Square Cinema
New York – NY-Manhattan
East Side JACOBS Beekman
Village LNDMRK Sunshine Cinema
Philadelphia
Philadelphia LNDMRK Ritz 5 Movies
Washington DC
Union Station LNDMRK E Street Cinema
Fairfax Va JACOBS Cinema Art Theatre
Falls Church Va AMC Shirlington 7
Chicago
Near North LNDMRK Landmark’s Century Centre Cinema
Detroit
Art LNDMRK Main Art Theatre
Minneapolis/St Paul
Edina (S) LNDMRK Edina 4
Dallas – Houston
Angelika CITY Angelika Film Center
Denver
Southeast LNDMRK Chez Artiste
Los Angeles – LA-Westside
Santa Monica Art LEMMLE Monica 4 Plex
Los Angeles – LA-West Hollywood
West Hollywood Art LEMMLE Music Hall
Los Angeles – LA-San Fernando Valley
Encino LEMMLE Town Center 5
Los Angeles – LA-Glendale/Pasadena
Old Town 1 LEMMLE Playhouse 7 Cinemas
Los Angeles – LA-Orange County
Irvine – West Park REGAL Westpark 8 Cinemas
San Francisco
Art LNDMRK Embarcadero Center Cinema 5
San Francisco – SF-San Jose
San Jose Art NYBLOM Camera 3
San Francisco – SF-East Bay
Berkeley LNDMRK Shattuck Cinemas 10
San Francisco – SF-Marin County
Marin County Art PFR Smith Rafael Film Center

(Iran) Stephen McEveety produces ‘Stoning of Soraya M.’

(Iran) Stephen McEveety produces ‘Stoning of Soraya M.’
— “Producer Stephen McEveety’s new film depicts a modern stoning in Iran”
— “adapted from the 1994 nonfiction of the same name by the French-Iranian journalist Freidoune Sahebjam, who traveled to a small Iranian village in the mid-1980s and came across the story of an innocent woman stoned to death over concocted charges of infidelity”
— “The fabricated charge was adultery, which under the town leaders’ judgment was a crime not only against her husband but also Islam. The penalty was death by public stoning, and nothing Zahra or Soraya could do or say would stop it. ‘It is God’s law,’ one person says, while the local mullah says, ‘With each stone you throw, your honor will return.'”
— “Director and co-writer Cyrus Nowrasteh spares little in depicting the execution, in which Soraya is buried to her chest with her arms bound, and pelted with heavy rocks from close range until she bleeds to death.”

— Web Site for ‘The Stoning of Soraya M.’

— The Stoning of Soraya M. (Hardcover) – by Freidoune Sahebjam (Author)

— The Stoning of Soraya M. [Theatrical Release]

— The Stoning of Soraya M. (2009) Final Trailer 1