HALT THE EXECUTION OF SAKINEH MOHAMMADI ASHTIANI ›
“Authorities in Iran said Sunday (December 25, 2011) they are again moving ahead with plans to execute a woman sentenced to death by stoning on an adultery conviction in a case that sparked an international outcry, but are considering whether to carry out the punishment by hanging instead.
The Iranian authorities are attempting to justify a death sentence that cannot be justified on any level or standard. It is important that all people, muslims and non-muslims, atheists, all human beings, sign this petition to not only stop this execution, but to demand that Sakineh, her son Sajad and her attorney be released from prison immediately.
The Iranian regime, embarrassed by international condemnation of the stoning sentence for an alleged charge of adultary, is determined to execute her. Furthermore, the Iranian government is attempting to distract attention by digging up an old charge for murder of her husband and staging a TV “confession” of guilt to that alleged crime.
Sakineh has already served 10 years in jail, the maximum allowed by law, and her confession of guilt was obtained through torture. The prosecuter is unable to bring forth any new evidence of her guilt for murder and the Iranian regime has gone to cynical, cruel lengths in dragging her out of prison, where she has been subjected to inhumane punishment and torture for years. Her 22 year old son Sajad has repeatedly claimed his mother is absolutely innocent of the murder of his father. Sajad and Sakineh’s attorney were arrested after speaking to journalists to appeal for the world’s help. The televised “confessions” shown on Iranian TV, reinforce how desperate the regime and its judiciary must feel to exonerate themselves for proceeding with her execution.
Any individual with rudimentary knowledge of legal procedures of the minimum standards for the treatment of prisoners, or simple common sense, will not be fooled by this show of strength from a powerful and brutal state that can and does coerce citizens into confessing to crimes they may or may not have committed.
Sign this petition to ask the government of Iran to immediately halt the execution of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.”
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News article from Voice of America from 5 days ago
Ms. Ashtiani has remained in prison, not only because of the adultery charge, but also for another crime — complicity in the murder of her husband – - to which she confessed under circumstances many believe were coercive. One of her lawyers, Mohammad Mostafaei, was forced to flee Iran; the other, Javid Hootan Kian, is in prison; reports are he has been severely tortured.
(Source: freesakineh.org, via thearanadiscoteca)
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