International concern was sparked early this week when an Iranian prosecutor indicated that Sakineh Ashtiani’s execution for adultery could be imminent. Ashtiani is currently serving 10 years in prison after being convicted as an accessory to her husband’s 2005 murder. In a separate trial, she was found guilty of adultery and sentenced to stoning, but the Iranian […]
Author: Martha Calhoon
Martha Calhoon is a freelance journalist based in Portland, Oregon. She earned her Master's degree in journalism at the University of Oregon and her work has appeared in Ms. magazine, Portland Monthly magazine, and Eugene Weekly among other titles. Her areas of interest center around reproductive and human rights as they pertain to women globally.
New Appointment Raises Doubts About U.S. Commitment to Congo’s Women and Girls
Just as violence flares again in the Democratic Republic of Congo–where women and girls have borne the brunt of decades of conflict–the U.S. State Department has announced the appointment of a new representative to the region. But what sounds like a renewed U.S. commitment to Congo is getting mixed reviews from activists and advocates. The […]
Afghan Woman Jailed for Her Rape Has Been Freed–But May Still Marry Her Rapist
It’s a scene straight out of Old Testament: A 20-year-old woman who was raped by her cousin’s husband may now marry her rapist. The woman, known only as Gulnaz, reported the rape to local authorities more than two years ago, but instead of finding justice, she found herself in a prison cell, sentenced to 12 […]