In 2021, the Taliban, an extremist Islamic group regained full control of Afghanistan, a Muslim majority country. With that came a series of bans and restrictions on women’s freedom. These bans are still ongoing.
However, Afghanistan is not the only Muslim majority country that has a history of policing women’s clothing, movements and punishing women who advocate for women’s total freedom.
Urban Woman Magazine collated ten times Muslim majority countries got women punished, flogged and sentenced to death for advocating women’s rights.
Read below.
Pakistan
In October 2012, gunmen from the Taliban, shot Malala Yousafzai for wanting an education for herself and other girls. Although she survived the attack, she nearly died from it.
Iran
In July 2024, the Republic of Iran sentenced Sherifa Mohammed and Bakhshan Azizi to death for fighting for women’s labor rights.
Saudi Arabia
In May 2018, Loujain al-Hathloul was arrested for advocating that the ban on women driving be lifted. She was imprisoned for over a thousand days and was released conditionally in 2021. However, she still faces travel bans.
Egypt
In Nawal el Saadawi’s iconic book Woman At Point Zero, she documented the life of a real life woman named Firdaus. Firdaus, a sex worker was sentenced to death for stabbing her pimp in self defense.
Libya
In June 2014, Salwa Bugaighis was shot dead in her home in Benghazi, Libya. She was a prominent women’s rights activist and lawyer.
Afghanistan
In September 2023, Neda Parwani, a prominent women’s rights activist was detained by the Taliban alongside her husband and three other women.
Syria
In February 2014, Ranim Khalil Ma’touq, a student and women’s advocate was arrested by Syrian police for pushing for women’s rights.
Yemen
In November 2021, Intisar al-Hammadi, a Yemeni model and actress was sentenced to jail for five years for being “indecent”. She also claimed to have been physically and verbally abused and forced to sign documents while blindfolded.
Iraq
In 2008, Nahla Hussain, a women’s rights activist and leader of the women’s league of the Kurdish Communist Party was beheaded in Iraq.
Mauritania
In April 2020, Mariem Cheik, a women and anti slavery activist was arrested and subsequently detained.

Angel Nduka-Nwosu is a writer, journalist and editor. She moonlights occasionally as a podcaster on As Angel Was Sayin’. Catch her on all socials @asangelwassayin.