A Turkish woman has been arrested on suspicion of “blasphemy and inciting religious hatred” for posting a photo of a pair of feet stepping on a Koran.
The arrest came after Melih Gokcek, Ankara’s controversial mayor from the ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP), launched a criminal complaint against the 38-year-old-woman, who uses the Twitter handle @kedibiti (cat lice).
The woman, who has over 5,000 followers and describes herself as “an atheist who respects only humans”, allegedly shared a picture showing a pair of red high heels on a copy of the Koran, Dogan news agency reported.
It’s a nice choice, the Koran being so hostile to women.
Dogan said the woman was later released but Gokcek said he was suing “the infidel” for insulting religion, inciting religious hatred and threatening public peace.
“It is time for justice now. No one has a right to insult our religion. We will never allow this to happen,” Gokcek wrote on Twitter.
No one? I beg to differ. Your religion is a big poopyhead. I have the right to say that.
Gokcek, who has held the top municipal job in the Turkish capital for 20 years, is a colourful but controversial figure known for his fiery comments on Twitter and derogatory remarks about women.
He once famously said a mother who considered abortion “should kill her herself instead and not let the child bear the brunt of her mistake”.
Ah but Mr Gokcek, what if “the child” is female?
A source in Turkey tells me that @kedibiti says she’s not the one who has been arrested. So the cops couldn’t find her so they grabbed some random woman instead? Nice.
It’s easy to see who’s threatening public peace: hint, it’s not the woman in red shoes.
Yes, an ironic juxtaposition.
Surprising. Turkey has been one of the more secular friendly arab countries AFAIK. Maybe thats changing.
Turkey isn’t an arab country. And even though its constitution is secular, islamic parties have is recent years been quite successful.
Wow. Well, I think we all know what we have to do. I’m off to find a pair of red shoes, a Koran, and put my twitter account to good use.
I think I have a dutch copy of the quran, no facebook or twitter though.
Umm… You do realise…? Oh, forget it.
Of course she is morally in the right. There should be no blasphemy laws. But given that there is such a law where she lives, I question the wisdom of her action. I think that image will not help anyone who is arguing for change in the law.
A photoshop challenge. A bunch of qurans on fire slowly roasting pig on a rotating spit. Roasting Miss Piggy?
Red shoes? Perhaps they should search for her in Oz, might even find their deity among the Munchkins and other imaginary critter.
– Elvis Costello, “Angels Want To Wear My Red Shoes”
It’s civil disobedience. The way many if not most advancements for civil rights have been accomplished in America.
For every koran they protect, I’m going to oppress two?? Does that work??
I have access to a metric tonne of pig-poop, don’t make me unleash it and a backhoe.
If Allah is so much in danger of being defeated by a pair of ruby slippers that you need to charge a woman stepping on a Koran with red shoes with blasphemy you are not worshiping God, you are worshiping the the Wicked Witch of the West.
The courage to stand up against oppressors is unwise when women do it?
She isn’t a fool. She’s a hero. This is such a small, quiet rebellion and yes, it could cost her her life. You might respect that rather than disdain it.
I’m so tired of being told as a woman that I should expect and prepare for the abuse misogynist men want to do to me as if men were hurricanes and I should know better than to risk being in one’s way.
What did she expect when she went to a party with friends?
What did she expect when she shared an opinion?
What did she expect when she wore that?
What did she expect when she got an education?
What did she expect when went out unveiled?
What did she expect when she dated a football player/fighter?
The message is that smart women are frightened, silent and move through the world like mice who know that predators lurk everywhere and one lapse of cautious vigilance means doom. Only a very foolish mouse would draw any attention to itself or make any noise at all. A wise mouse stays in dark corners. It is never comfortable. It never fights. When it is devoured, no one will be to blame. After all, predators predate and mice belong beneath them on the food chain. It isn’t a mouse’s lot to feel the sun or enjoy the freedom to move through the world as something other than food. It should have been more careful. What did it expect? A brave mouse is a foolish mouse.
Whether it is rape, stolen nude photos or murder at the hands of theocrats, someone will point out that the woman brought it upon herself for not being cautious enough of men and their power to harm her.
The charge to be more cautious of your oppressor rather than to fight them or live life as if you were really free and equal is not just for women. It’s for all minorities, especially black and LGBT folks. I’m so sick of that. That’s terrorism. “If you think we’re hurting you now, just wait until you piss us off. Pray we do not notice you. Pray we find you accommodating enough”. When you say something like “You better keep your head down if you know what’s good for you”, you are siding with the oppressor.
Please don’t.