These days, still,
We are lost in our pursuit.
Time goes by and
We become more complicated,
We become less capable of making sense of this life.
How can we make sense of this life?
Sure enough, like children all do,
We too knew the secrets of the universe.
We too listened to the tales told by the flowers…
Oh, not to forget the butterflies!
Alas, our childhood was lost in our pursuit!
Dear Mother!
We are so tired now; now more than ever, we long for the tranquillity, the warmth of being held in your arms. We are exhausted from chilling accusations, tired from crying in our loneliness, weary of weeping in the crowd of strangers. We are spent from walking through our lives alone on an unlit path, being so scared, so constantly, that fear now takes pity on us. We ache from travelling this lonely path of sadness. We want to cry with you; you wipe our tears from our cheeks. We want to hold on to you, and stand alone no more; we yearn to kiss your cheeks.
Yes dearest mother!
It is years since we felt your protecting presence in our lives, or that of our father. Our eyes are fixed on the door; might they let us hear from you? We want to part from this stalemate; but not without you, dearest companion.
We ask ourselves: Who are we? Why are we here? What was the purpose of our existence? Was it to be tortured? Why and for how long? We were left alone, having only each other to hold on to, in the chill, dark, fear-filled alleys. While other little girls sat on their mothers' knees having their hair combed, my sister, in the bitter cold with only a shirt on, stood shivering behind the high walls, begging to be allowed to see our mother. While I (Sajjad) was witnessing my father’s painful murder - and even more painful, the false, dirty accusations against our mother of killing our father, by those of the Islamic Republic with stones in their hands - those my age sat together with their fathers going through their homework. If we had been given a chance to go to school, we would have loved to write the word “mother” wrong, only so we could draw the punishment from the teacher to write and re-write a thousand times on a clean, white sheet of paper: “mother”!
Would Victor Hugo, if he were alive, create his Les Misérables, and Cosette and Fantine, or Charles Dickens his Oliver Twist and Fagin, when they had us to write about? If Cosette later found her Jean Valjean, if Oliver Twist had his Mr. Brownlow to protect him, the story of our lives is abysmal, is a black whirlpool of breathtaking uncertainty. It is an unfair fall into an endless helplessness. Our protector Mr. Kian (Sakineh's lawyer) himself has no haven to turn to. He may no longer set foot in the court because he has defended us; he himself needs a (defense lawyer and) protector. What a tragedy is this story of our lives and our future. Perhaps that Information agent was right last week, saying, as they ransacked our lawyer's office: “Even if you get your mother back, we won’t let you have a life. The world is concerned with your mother, yet you are at our mercy.” How deadly is religious fundamentalism, and how back-breaking the weight of the cross we carry on our back.
We don’t really know what would have become of us if we didn’t have Mr. Kian in Iran, and you abroad. We really don’t know and can’t imagine that. The day I, in tears and total desperation, called an angel named Mina Ahadi, the day that conscience placed Mr. Kian on the same path with us, the day that we were embraced by your support - these are the only moments of joyful hope in our miserable lives. These are the lanterns burning amidst total darkness and hopelessness. So... we humbly beg you, remember us and those like us. Remember our lawyer Mr. Kian and all those like him. Remember Shiva Nazar Ahari, Mohammad Oliyifard, Nasrine Sotoudeh, and all those like them.
We humbly beg you!
Sajjad and Sayideh, to the whole world.
Translation: Ahmad Fatemi, Maria Rohaly
Monday, 13 September 2010
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Women in the frontline of the fight for rights
See a Guardian article, entitled Women in the frontline of the fight for rights, dated 12 September 2010 which quotes Maryam Namazie and Iran Solidarity.
Saturday, 11 September 2010
Stoning is not people's culture; it's the regime's!
On the psychologist and the executioner
On the 5 September BBC Sunday Morning Live debate on ‘whether it is right to condemn Iran for stoning, studio guest psychologist Aric Sigmund made some interesting (to say the least) contributions during the debate ‘is it right to condemn Iran for stoning.’ He said:
‘I have been to Iran by the way, and like many places it’s a shame - one of the kindest cultures who are terribly kind to children; we never see that on the news, we only see the extreme things. But aside from that this is a really a question about moral imperialism. I think we should obviously protest but that is very different from expecting them to conform to the way we do things...’ He went on to say: ‘we expect every other culture because we have computers and nuclear power and so on that they will evolve their legal system as quickly as we have changed ours.’ (Italics are mine)
I know. I know…
I am not sure what this is called in clinical terms, but in political ones, it is a classic case of cultural relativism, which is the basic need to explain - and in truth condone - vile regimes and legal systems by saying it is part of people’s culture.
After all whose culture are we talking about?
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s culture (educated until 5th grade) who ‘wants to live’ or that of the Islamic regime of Iran that wants to kill her?
Whose?
Sakineh’s 22 year old transport worker son, Sajjad, who writes open letters to the people of the world despite threats and intimidations asking for help in saving his mother’s life or the regime that has already flogged his mother twice – once in front of his very eyes when he was only 17?
Whose culture?
Mina Ahadi’s who is spearheading the international campaign in her defence or the regime that executed Mina’s first husband in the very same prison Sakineh languishes in?
Whose?
Neda’s and the millions who poured out onto the streets in 2009 or the regime that shot at protestors and killed her in broad daylight?
The people who are kind to children that Aric Sigmund probably met when he travelled to Iran are not one and the same with a regime that has the highest rate of child executions in the world.
I don’t think this is so hard to understand. You can’t sweep the death penalty in the US under the carpet by saying Americans are kind, now can you? But somehow this is acceptable when it comes to a place like Iran.
And by the way, are Sakineh and Sajjad ‘moral imperialists’ for opposing stoning in Iran? And am I one for opposing executions in the US and elsewhere? How absurd. The whole point of political and social protest movements like the international campaign to save Sakineh’s life is that people everywhere have a right and duty to intervene on humanity’s behalf. To say otherwise, when it comes to a place like Iran – is the racism of lower expectations and double standards.
And of course Aric Sigmund does not come on BBC programmes to say that people’s legal systems need time to evolve when the likes of the Islamic regime of Iran takes power and - within one month - imposes compulsory veiling on women and girls via brute force. The cultural defence only ever supports reaction and medievalism, and never the progressive demands and values of people resisting it day in and day out.
Clearly, first and foremost, it comes down to a matter of choice. One either chooses the culture of the regime and the executioner – as Aric Sigmund has - or that of Sakineh, Sajjad and the protesting people of Iran – as millions of others have.
***
The above is part of a series of responses to a 5 September BBC Sunday Morning Live programme.
Here are my previous entries:
Ayatollah BBC, 10 September
A woman’s life is at stake, a reply to BBC Sunday Morning Live Executive Producer’s email, 9 September
An open letter to the BBC Sunday Morning Live programme on its bias against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, 8 September. You can see the programme in this entry.
On the 5 September BBC Sunday Morning Live debate on ‘whether it is right to condemn Iran for stoning, studio guest psychologist Aric Sigmund made some interesting (to say the least) contributions during the debate ‘is it right to condemn Iran for stoning.’ He said:
‘I have been to Iran by the way, and like many places it’s a shame - one of the kindest cultures who are terribly kind to children; we never see that on the news, we only see the extreme things. But aside from that this is a really a question about moral imperialism. I think we should obviously protest but that is very different from expecting them to conform to the way we do things...’ He went on to say: ‘we expect every other culture because we have computers and nuclear power and so on that they will evolve their legal system as quickly as we have changed ours.’ (Italics are mine)
I know. I know…
I am not sure what this is called in clinical terms, but in political ones, it is a classic case of cultural relativism, which is the basic need to explain - and in truth condone - vile regimes and legal systems by saying it is part of people’s culture.
After all whose culture are we talking about?
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s culture (educated until 5th grade) who ‘wants to live’ or that of the Islamic regime of Iran that wants to kill her?
Whose?
Sakineh’s 22 year old transport worker son, Sajjad, who writes open letters to the people of the world despite threats and intimidations asking for help in saving his mother’s life or the regime that has already flogged his mother twice – once in front of his very eyes when he was only 17?
Whose culture?
Mina Ahadi’s who is spearheading the international campaign in her defence or the regime that executed Mina’s first husband in the very same prison Sakineh languishes in?
Whose?
Neda’s and the millions who poured out onto the streets in 2009 or the regime that shot at protestors and killed her in broad daylight?
The people who are kind to children that Aric Sigmund probably met when he travelled to Iran are not one and the same with a regime that has the highest rate of child executions in the world.
I don’t think this is so hard to understand. You can’t sweep the death penalty in the US under the carpet by saying Americans are kind, now can you? But somehow this is acceptable when it comes to a place like Iran.
And by the way, are Sakineh and Sajjad ‘moral imperialists’ for opposing stoning in Iran? And am I one for opposing executions in the US and elsewhere? How absurd. The whole point of political and social protest movements like the international campaign to save Sakineh’s life is that people everywhere have a right and duty to intervene on humanity’s behalf. To say otherwise, when it comes to a place like Iran – is the racism of lower expectations and double standards.
And of course Aric Sigmund does not come on BBC programmes to say that people’s legal systems need time to evolve when the likes of the Islamic regime of Iran takes power and - within one month - imposes compulsory veiling on women and girls via brute force. The cultural defence only ever supports reaction and medievalism, and never the progressive demands and values of people resisting it day in and day out.
Clearly, first and foremost, it comes down to a matter of choice. One either chooses the culture of the regime and the executioner – as Aric Sigmund has - or that of Sakineh, Sajjad and the protesting people of Iran – as millions of others have.
***
The above is part of a series of responses to a 5 September BBC Sunday Morning Live programme.
Here are my previous entries:
Ayatollah BBC, 10 September
A woman’s life is at stake, a reply to BBC Sunday Morning Live Executive Producer’s email, 9 September
An open letter to the BBC Sunday Morning Live programme on its bias against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, 8 September. You can see the programme in this entry.
Friday, 10 September 2010
Iran Stoning Case: 'Our mother is innocent and should be released unconditionally'
Join September days of action against stoning, execution and flogging in Iran
Hello
Since I last wrote to you Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has again been flogged 99 times for an unveiled photo mistakenly attributed to her. She has also been threatened with execution, and denied visitation rights. Even, her lawyer’s home (Hatoun Kian) has been ransacked and his computer and documents seized. Court documents pertaining to Ms Ashtiani’s husband’s closed murder case have also gone missing.
Her 22-year-old son Sajjad is extremely concerned that the Iranian authorities are trying to frame Ms Ashtiani for his father’s murder by constructing a ‘new’ murder case to refute the stoning sentence. Unfortunately a number of media outlets have bought into the lie (see for example BBC Sunday Morning Live’s bias here. In fact, the press have been given a copy of the actual court judgment of stoning for adultery at a 30 July press conference in London. Also, even the man who has been found guilty of murdering her husband has not been executed. In Iran, under Diyeh laws, the family of the victim can ask for the death penalty to be revoked. Ms Ashtiani’s son explains why he and his 17 year old sister spared the man’s life in an interview with French writer and philosopher, Bernard-Henri Levy.
Despite all the regime’s outrages against Ms Ashtiani, her lawyers and family, on 8 September, a government official had the audacity to deceivingly claim that Ms Ashtiani had not been denied visitation rights, that her televised confession was not made under duress, and that she had not been flogged again. He also went on to say that her execution had been halted when no official documents halting her stoning or execution have been given to her lawyer or family.
Clearly this is yet another one of the regime’s ploys to push back the international campaign in her defence by giving the false impression that Ms Ashtiani is safe.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
On 18 September, we call on citizens everywhere to come out in defence of Ms Ashtiani and against the regime of flogging, stoning and execution. We are also calling for protests during 23-24 September when Ahmadinejad will be addressing the UN General Assembly.
Nothing can and will stop us from defending Sakineh’s precious life and bringing an end to the medieval and barbaric punishments of stoning and execution.
Let’s keep the pressure on.
We look forward to receiving news of your actions and events at Actions for Sakineh.
Warmest wishes
Maryam
Maryam Namazie
PLEASE ACT NOW!
1- Find out about 18 September 2010 and 23-24 September 2010 actions here. The events will be updated on a daily basis.
2- Send actions you are organising in your city of residence to actionforsakineh@gmail.com so we can post it on the events page.
If you need help organising an event, see our toolkit on how to organise an action in your city.
3- See reports from the brilliant 100 Cities against Stoning that took place on 28 August. Thanks to all of you who participated. It was an historic day and hopefully one of many more to come!
4- See an updated list of those stoned or awaiting death by stoning compiled by the International Committee against Executions here.
5- Send Sakineh a postcard telling her you are thinking of her and other prisoners on death row in Tabriz prison. You can address it to:
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani
Tabriz Prison
Tabriz, Iran
6- Write letters of protest to the Islamic regime of Iran demanding Ashtiani’s release and an end to stonings, floggings and executions. Protest letters can be addressed to the below:
Head of the Judiciary
Sadeqh Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh (Office of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri
Tehran 1316814737, Iran
Email: info@dadiran.ir or via website
First starred box: your given name; second starred box: your family name; third: your email address
Head of the Judiciary in East Azerbaijan Province
Malek-Ashtar Sharifi
Office of the Head of the Judiciary in Tabriz
East Azerbaijan, Iran
Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Iran
Email: (English)
(Persian)
Secretary General, High Council for Human Rights
Mohammad Javad Larijani
Howzeh Riassat-e Ghoveh Ghazaiyeh
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri
Tehran 1316814737, Iran
Fax: +98 21 3390 4986
Email: bia.judi@yahoo.com
7- Sign petitions in support of her case if you haven’t already done so. Here are two of them here and here.
8- Write to government officials, heads of state, MEPs and MPs in your country of residence and the UN calling on them to intervene to save her life and to cease recognition of a regime that stones people to death in the 21st century.
9- Donate to the important work of the International Committee Against Stoning, International Committee Against Executions and Iran Solidarity by making your cheque payable to ‘Count Me In – Iran’ and sending it to BM Box 6754, London WC1N 3XX, UK. You can also pay via Paypal. Please earmark your donation.
10- For more information, contact:
Mina Ahadi, International Committee Against Stoning and International Committee Against Executions, minaahadi@aol.com, 0049 1775692413.
Maryam Namazie, Iran Solidarity, iransolidaritynow@gmail.com, 0044 7719166731, Iran SolidarityBlog.
Maria Rohaly, Mission Free Iran, maria.rohaly@gmail.com.
Hello
Since I last wrote to you Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has again been flogged 99 times for an unveiled photo mistakenly attributed to her. She has also been threatened with execution, and denied visitation rights. Even, her lawyer’s home (Hatoun Kian) has been ransacked and his computer and documents seized. Court documents pertaining to Ms Ashtiani’s husband’s closed murder case have also gone missing.
Her 22-year-old son Sajjad is extremely concerned that the Iranian authorities are trying to frame Ms Ashtiani for his father’s murder by constructing a ‘new’ murder case to refute the stoning sentence. Unfortunately a number of media outlets have bought into the lie (see for example BBC Sunday Morning Live’s bias here. In fact, the press have been given a copy of the actual court judgment of stoning for adultery at a 30 July press conference in London. Also, even the man who has been found guilty of murdering her husband has not been executed. In Iran, under Diyeh laws, the family of the victim can ask for the death penalty to be revoked. Ms Ashtiani’s son explains why he and his 17 year old sister spared the man’s life in an interview with French writer and philosopher, Bernard-Henri Levy.
Despite all the regime’s outrages against Ms Ashtiani, her lawyers and family, on 8 September, a government official had the audacity to deceivingly claim that Ms Ashtiani had not been denied visitation rights, that her televised confession was not made under duress, and that she had not been flogged again. He also went on to say that her execution had been halted when no official documents halting her stoning or execution have been given to her lawyer or family.
Clearly this is yet another one of the regime’s ploys to push back the international campaign in her defence by giving the false impression that Ms Ashtiani is safe.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
On 18 September, we call on citizens everywhere to come out in defence of Ms Ashtiani and against the regime of flogging, stoning and execution. We are also calling for protests during 23-24 September when Ahmadinejad will be addressing the UN General Assembly.
Nothing can and will stop us from defending Sakineh’s precious life and bringing an end to the medieval and barbaric punishments of stoning and execution.
Let’s keep the pressure on.
We look forward to receiving news of your actions and events at Actions for Sakineh.
Warmest wishes
Maryam
Maryam Namazie
PLEASE ACT NOW!
1- Find out about 18 September 2010 and 23-24 September 2010 actions here. The events will be updated on a daily basis.
2- Send actions you are organising in your city of residence to actionforsakineh@gmail.com so we can post it on the events page.
If you need help organising an event, see our toolkit on how to organise an action in your city.
3- See reports from the brilliant 100 Cities against Stoning that took place on 28 August. Thanks to all of you who participated. It was an historic day and hopefully one of many more to come!
4- See an updated list of those stoned or awaiting death by stoning compiled by the International Committee against Executions here.
5- Send Sakineh a postcard telling her you are thinking of her and other prisoners on death row in Tabriz prison. You can address it to:
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani
Tabriz Prison
Tabriz, Iran
6- Write letters of protest to the Islamic regime of Iran demanding Ashtiani’s release and an end to stonings, floggings and executions. Protest letters can be addressed to the below:
Head of the Judiciary
Sadeqh Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh (Office of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri
Tehran 1316814737, Iran
Email: info@dadiran.ir or via website
First starred box: your given name; second starred box: your family name; third: your email address
Head of the Judiciary in East Azerbaijan Province
Malek-Ashtar Sharifi
Office of the Head of the Judiciary in Tabriz
East Azerbaijan, Iran
Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Iran
Email: (English)
(Persian)
Secretary General, High Council for Human Rights
Mohammad Javad Larijani
Howzeh Riassat-e Ghoveh Ghazaiyeh
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri
Tehran 1316814737, Iran
Fax: +98 21 3390 4986
Email: bia.judi@yahoo.com
7- Sign petitions in support of her case if you haven’t already done so. Here are two of them here and here.
8- Write to government officials, heads of state, MEPs and MPs in your country of residence and the UN calling on them to intervene to save her life and to cease recognition of a regime that stones people to death in the 21st century.
9- Donate to the important work of the International Committee Against Stoning, International Committee Against Executions and Iran Solidarity by making your cheque payable to ‘Count Me In – Iran’ and sending it to BM Box 6754, London WC1N 3XX, UK. You can also pay via Paypal. Please earmark your donation.
10- For more information, contact:
Mina Ahadi, International Committee Against Stoning and International Committee Against Executions, minaahadi@aol.com, 0049 1775692413.
Maryam Namazie, Iran Solidarity, iransolidaritynow@gmail.com, 0044 7719166731, Iran SolidarityBlog.
Maria Rohaly, Mission Free Iran, maria.rohaly@gmail.com.
How to plan an action day to save Sakineh’s life
How to plan an action day to save Sakineh’s life
Anybody can organise an action day in his or her city to defend Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the 43 woman condemned to death by stoning for ‘adultery.’ Even if you don’t have someone else to help you, by advertising your protest others will join you. The action can be anything from an act of solidarity with a couple of friends to a larger protest action or rally.
1. Find a suitable, busy place in the centre of your city and immediately obtain police permission. We suggest that you start your protest at 2p.m. (on 28th August). If for any reason this is not suitable, just choose a different time.
2. If you are planning an act of solidarity on your own or with a few friends, you don’t need police permission. An act of solidarity can include anything from holding a poster of Sakineh and collecting signatures or handing out leaflets on her situation to passers-by.
3. After getting permission from the police or deciding when and where you will be carrying out your act of solidarity, let us know straightaway so that we can advertise your protest/action on sites such as the International Committee against Stoning, International Committee against Execution, Iran Solidarity, Mission Free Iran, etc. so others will know about your action day and can get in touch with you.
4. You can find similar-minded people to help you organise your protest or action. State the time and place of your protest and advertise it in your city, Facebook and in other ways to let people know about it. In this way, you will find enthusiastic people to help you.
5. Useful materials for the protest are:
Posters, not smaller than A3
One cotton sheet, 2m x 3m for collecting signatures
A few pens and markers
A camera for taking pictures and videos for websites
6. Soon after the protest, send us your photos and videos and a short report of your protest.
7. Even one person can mount a protest using these suggestions, but it is easier with two people. Involving several people allows more possibilities; for example, you could hire a microphone and talk to people. You can make your protest more graphic by asking someone to sit on the ground and cover them with a white cotton sheet with a few pink stains. Put a few "stones" made of paper or cardboard beside them.
8. Let the media know about your protest and ask them to interview you as organisers of the action day and the people who have come to support you. Intensify your advertising campaign a few days before your protest to make people aware of your event. Invite artists, organisations and activists defending women’s rights, human rights and members of parliament. Encourage your local media to interview you so people in your city will be informed.
Published by International Committee against Execution, International Committee against Stoning, Iran Solidarity and Mission Free Iran.
Anybody can organise an action day in his or her city to defend Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the 43 woman condemned to death by stoning for ‘adultery.’ Even if you don’t have someone else to help you, by advertising your protest others will join you. The action can be anything from an act of solidarity with a couple of friends to a larger protest action or rally.
1. Find a suitable, busy place in the centre of your city and immediately obtain police permission. We suggest that you start your protest at 2p.m. (on 28th August). If for any reason this is not suitable, just choose a different time.
2. If you are planning an act of solidarity on your own or with a few friends, you don’t need police permission. An act of solidarity can include anything from holding a poster of Sakineh and collecting signatures or handing out leaflets on her situation to passers-by.
3. After getting permission from the police or deciding when and where you will be carrying out your act of solidarity, let us know straightaway so that we can advertise your protest/action on sites such as the International Committee against Stoning, International Committee against Execution, Iran Solidarity, Mission Free Iran, etc. so others will know about your action day and can get in touch with you.
4. You can find similar-minded people to help you organise your protest or action. State the time and place of your protest and advertise it in your city, Facebook and in other ways to let people know about it. In this way, you will find enthusiastic people to help you.
5. Useful materials for the protest are:
Posters, not smaller than A3
One cotton sheet, 2m x 3m for collecting signatures
A few pens and markers
A camera for taking pictures and videos for websites
6. Soon after the protest, send us your photos and videos and a short report of your protest.
7. Even one person can mount a protest using these suggestions, but it is easier with two people. Involving several people allows more possibilities; for example, you could hire a microphone and talk to people. You can make your protest more graphic by asking someone to sit on the ground and cover them with a white cotton sheet with a few pink stains. Put a few "stones" made of paper or cardboard beside them.
8. Let the media know about your protest and ask them to interview you as organisers of the action day and the people who have come to support you. Intensify your advertising campaign a few days before your protest to make people aware of your event. Invite artists, organisations and activists defending women’s rights, human rights and members of parliament. Encourage your local media to interview you so people in your city will be informed.
Published by International Committee against Execution, International Committee against Stoning, Iran Solidarity and Mission Free Iran.
Thursday, 9 September 2010
BBC Sunday Morning Live: A woman's life is at stake
A BBC Sunday Morning Live Executive Producer has responded to my complaint. Below you will see his email and my reply.
Here is my reply:
****
To see my original complaint and the programme itself, click here.
8 September 2010
Dear Maryam Namazie
Thank you for your email to Sunday Morning Live this afternoon, which I am pleased to respond to. I understand two of my colleagues have also apologised to you for the fact that you were not able to take part in Sunday's discussion.
Our debate on Sunday was whether we were right to condemn Iran over the stoning of women. On our studio panel we had two contributors who both condemned stoning and argued that we were right to condemn Iran for carrying it out, and a third who condemned the stonings themselves. The discussion was introduced using a filmed interview with a campaigner for women's rights in Iran. We also had two contributors via webcam: one who spoke on Sharia law; and a lawyer from Tehran who tried to explain the position of the authorities in Iran.
I regret that there was insufficient time during what was a heated discussion for us to take a contribution from yourself, and would like to take this opportunity to apologise for that. I do not believe, however, that the debate was an unbalanced one. Indeed, all our guests in the studio went out of their way to condemn this medieval practice.
As we've said, the Sunday Morning Live focus was on whether it was right for countries such as ours to try to intervene. We certainly do not believe we in any way minimised the horror of stoning, and I don't think anyone watching the debate could come away feeling that it had been anything other than condemned in the strongest terms.
When the "murder" issue was raised, Susanna Reid pointed out that Ms Ashtiani's guilt was contested.
We take some exception, therefore, to the suggestion that the programme gave any succour, even unwittingly, to a regime that may indeed be manoeuvring for ways to implement a penal policy which we clearly signalled, at the start of the item, as belonging to the Middle Ages.
For many of the reasons you mention it may be all too likely that we return to Ms Ashtiani's plight in a future programme. If and when that happens we would of course want to consider your making a contribution to the on-air debate.
With very best wishes.
Richard Pattinson
RICHARD PATTINSON
Executive Producer | Sunday Morning Live | BBC One
Here is my reply:
9 September 2010
Dear Mr Pattinson
Thank you for your prompt albeit disappointing response to my email regarding the 5 September BBC Sunday Morning Live programme on the Iran stoning case. Whilst I am not surprised, I must still insist on the provision of factual corrections with regards stoning in Iran and Sakineh’s case in your upcoming programme.
Your response clearly fails to address the main point I made, which is that your presenter, Susanna Reid, made factually incorrect statements that gave the impression to viewers that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is not to be stoned, that stoning does not take place in Iran or is rare and that Ms Ashtiani is facing execution for murder rather than adultery. Even where your presenter added that her guilt was ‘contested’ (as you mention) it was to reiterate the fabricated murder charge against her. Also, the introduction by a women’s rights campaigner, whilst interesting, gave no information on Ms Ashtiani’s specific case in order to help contradict statements made as facts by your presenter. Moreover, that some of your studio guests condemned stoning and the government despite your programme’s misinformation is a credit to them not the programme itself.
Unfortunately your response makes it seem as if my complaint is about my not being able to participate in the debate. It is not. It is about the adverse effects of the programme’s bias on the life of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.
Saying that stoning is no longer in existence in Iran or labeling Ms Ashtiani a murderer has direct bearings on her case. As I have said before, we must not forget that a woman’s life is at stake. After all, if we agree with her son that it is the international campaign in her defence that is keeping her alive, then such misinformation has direct and adverse effects on her situation. Also, isn’t the media bound to provide accurate information even in a religious programme? Is it accurate for your presenter to say: ‘the Iranian government says it is stopping stoning as a punishment for adultery and homosexuality’ and then go on to make a contradictory statement saying: ‘Officially the Iranian government does not condone stoning. There has been an official moratorium since 2002. Officially it has been dropped from the penal code?’
As an aside, your email states that the reason I was not brought on was the result of insufficient time. However, a phone call message from your colleague on 5 September said it was because viewers in the poll taken were ‘overwhelmingly’ in favour of condemning Iran for stoning which is why you had two proponents of stoning join via webcam and no-one opposed to it. Since the poll conducted was about whether ‘money [was] ruining sports, I find both her explanation and yours lacking.
In any case, I look forward to a resolution of this matter.
Sincerely
Maryam
Maryam Namazie
****
To see my original complaint and the programme itself, click here.
The Islamic Republic of Iran’s new manoeuvre will be thwarted
Press Release 66
September 8, 2010
Under worldwide pressures to overturn the stoning and execution sentences against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and secure her release, Iran’s Islamic Republic has resorted to a new ploy. Vahid Kazem-zadeh, the District 7 Secretary of the regime’s Islamic Human Rights Commission, stated today on MashreqNews website, quoting the Head of the Judiciary, that the execution of Sakineh has for now been halted. He added that no restrictions had been imposed on Sakineh in prison, the weekly visits with her son, Sajjad, and her daughter, Saeedeh, had continued, she had not been subjected to a new round of flogging and she had not been coerced into the state TV interview in August. In response, we wish to make the following statement:
1- The Islamic Republic’s judiciary has also many times previously, under the pressure of worldwide protests, said that a decision on Sakineh’s case has been postponed. This is a familiar tactic of the regime in order to buy time and deflect the international pressures. In this way, the regime wants to give the impression that Sakineh is not in any immediate danger and to push this issue off the agenda of the worldwide campaign to save Sakineh and of the media and states which have supported her. However, even concerning the stay of execution, Sajjad, Sakineh’s son, has said that no official document to this effect has been given to Sakineh’s lawyer.
2- The statement by the District Secretary of the Islamic Human Rights Commission claiming that Sakineh and her children have been able to meet is also a pure lie. Sajjad and Mr Houtan Kian, Sakineh’s lawyer, have repeatedly said that Sakineh has not been allowed to see her children and lawyer for two weeks, and that even telephone contact with her has been cut. By claiming that the decision on Sakineh’s execution has been postponed and that Sakineh’s condition in prison is fine, the regime’s Human Rights Commission wants to undermine the international protest against the restrictions imposed on Sakineh, her flogging for the second time and the coerced televised confession. Sajjad has said that all prison visits are recorded and has challenged the Islamic Republic to produce evidence that Sakineh and her children have met.
3- Our campaign will continue until Sakineh is freed and reunited with her children at her home, until the stoning sentence of all the others condemned to death by stoning have been revoked and until the barbaric punishment of stoning has been abolished. Our response to the Islamic Republic’s manoeuvre and the shameless assertions of its Human Rights Commission is to continue the protest without letup against the regime and to expose its crimes. We call on all citizens of the world to answer these claims of the Islamic regime of stoning by vast participation in the worldwide protests called for 18 September. This is the only way to push the regime back completely and secure the release of Sakineh. We also call on personalities, organisations and states that have protested against Sakineh’s stoning and execution sentences and demanded her release to keep up the pressure on the Islamic Republic, to help thwart its manoeuvres and to keep insisting on the demand for the revoking of Sakineh’s stoning and execution sentences and her release.
International Committee Against Stoning (http://stopstonningnow.com)
International Committee Against Execution (http://notonemoreexecution.org)
Spokesperson: Mina Ahadi minaahadi@aol.com 0049-177-569-2413
September 8, 2010
Under worldwide pressures to overturn the stoning and execution sentences against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and secure her release, Iran’s Islamic Republic has resorted to a new ploy. Vahid Kazem-zadeh, the District 7 Secretary of the regime’s Islamic Human Rights Commission, stated today on MashreqNews website, quoting the Head of the Judiciary, that the execution of Sakineh has for now been halted. He added that no restrictions had been imposed on Sakineh in prison, the weekly visits with her son, Sajjad, and her daughter, Saeedeh, had continued, she had not been subjected to a new round of flogging and she had not been coerced into the state TV interview in August. In response, we wish to make the following statement:
1- The Islamic Republic’s judiciary has also many times previously, under the pressure of worldwide protests, said that a decision on Sakineh’s case has been postponed. This is a familiar tactic of the regime in order to buy time and deflect the international pressures. In this way, the regime wants to give the impression that Sakineh is not in any immediate danger and to push this issue off the agenda of the worldwide campaign to save Sakineh and of the media and states which have supported her. However, even concerning the stay of execution, Sajjad, Sakineh’s son, has said that no official document to this effect has been given to Sakineh’s lawyer.
2- The statement by the District Secretary of the Islamic Human Rights Commission claiming that Sakineh and her children have been able to meet is also a pure lie. Sajjad and Mr Houtan Kian, Sakineh’s lawyer, have repeatedly said that Sakineh has not been allowed to see her children and lawyer for two weeks, and that even telephone contact with her has been cut. By claiming that the decision on Sakineh’s execution has been postponed and that Sakineh’s condition in prison is fine, the regime’s Human Rights Commission wants to undermine the international protest against the restrictions imposed on Sakineh, her flogging for the second time and the coerced televised confession. Sajjad has said that all prison visits are recorded and has challenged the Islamic Republic to produce evidence that Sakineh and her children have met.
3- Our campaign will continue until Sakineh is freed and reunited with her children at her home, until the stoning sentence of all the others condemned to death by stoning have been revoked and until the barbaric punishment of stoning has been abolished. Our response to the Islamic Republic’s manoeuvre and the shameless assertions of its Human Rights Commission is to continue the protest without letup against the regime and to expose its crimes. We call on all citizens of the world to answer these claims of the Islamic regime of stoning by vast participation in the worldwide protests called for 18 September. This is the only way to push the regime back completely and secure the release of Sakineh. We also call on personalities, organisations and states that have protested against Sakineh’s stoning and execution sentences and demanded her release to keep up the pressure on the Islamic Republic, to help thwart its manoeuvres and to keep insisting on the demand for the revoking of Sakineh’s stoning and execution sentences and her release.
International Committee Against Stoning (http://stopstonningnow.com)
International Committee Against Execution (http://notonemoreexecution.org)
Spokesperson: Mina Ahadi minaahadi@aol.com 0049-177-569-2413
Sajad Ghaderzadeh: Our mother is innocent and should be released unconditionally.
PR 65
Sept. 8, 2010
I ask the eight industrial countries and the governments of Turkey and Brazil and the entire world to continue the pressure against the Islamic Republic and don’t assume that the case is resolved.
Announcement made by Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s son, regarding the statement of the Press Secretary of the Islamic Republic’s Judiciary power about Sakineh and the regime’s Islamic human rights
Shahrivar 17, 1389
Regarding the statement of Mr. Ramin Mehmanparast, press secretary of the Judiciary power: as we have so far not received an official and legal document on stopping the stoning sentence and execution, we therefore do not accept these claims. They must issue us legal documents in this regard.
Regarding our mother’s statements, as the interview had not taken place in the presence of our lawyer Mr. Hootan Kian, but rather in the presence of Azad Press, we cannot confirm the [contents], as the circumstances surrounding this interview are not clear.
About beating up and maltreatment with regard to this interview, Mr. Kian has not received any news yet.
Regarding our mother saying that we have a weekly visit, the Islamic Republic must produce evidence that we visit our mother every week. Our name should be registered there to prove these people have been there to visit the inmate.
Regarding this statement, we, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s children, declare that our mother is innocent and should be freed by the Islamic Republic immediately and without any conditions.
I have an announcement to make to the world. I ask the eight industrial countries and Turkey and Brazil and the entire world to continue the pressure against Iran, and do not assume that the case is resolved. We do not have any official document. If the Islamic Republic is sincere, it should produce evidence.
Sajjad, son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani
Disseminated by the International Committees against Stoning and Execution
Mina Ahadi
International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
http://notonemoreexecution.org
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/
Sept. 8, 2010
I ask the eight industrial countries and the governments of Turkey and Brazil and the entire world to continue the pressure against the Islamic Republic and don’t assume that the case is resolved.
Announcement made by Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s son, regarding the statement of the Press Secretary of the Islamic Republic’s Judiciary power about Sakineh and the regime’s Islamic human rights
Shahrivar 17, 1389
Regarding the statement of Mr. Ramin Mehmanparast, press secretary of the Judiciary power: as we have so far not received an official and legal document on stopping the stoning sentence and execution, we therefore do not accept these claims. They must issue us legal documents in this regard.
Regarding our mother’s statements, as the interview had not taken place in the presence of our lawyer Mr. Hootan Kian, but rather in the presence of Azad Press, we cannot confirm the [contents], as the circumstances surrounding this interview are not clear.
About beating up and maltreatment with regard to this interview, Mr. Kian has not received any news yet.
Regarding our mother saying that we have a weekly visit, the Islamic Republic must produce evidence that we visit our mother every week. Our name should be registered there to prove these people have been there to visit the inmate.
Regarding this statement, we, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s children, declare that our mother is innocent and should be freed by the Islamic Republic immediately and without any conditions.
I have an announcement to make to the world. I ask the eight industrial countries and Turkey and Brazil and the entire world to continue the pressure against Iran, and do not assume that the case is resolved. We do not have any official document. If the Islamic Republic is sincere, it should produce evidence.
Sajjad, son of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani
Disseminated by the International Committees against Stoning and Execution
Mina Ahadi
International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
http://notonemoreexecution.org
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
Open letter to BBC Sunday Live on its unfair and biased reporting
Maryam Namazie
8 September 2010
BBC Sunday Live invited me to join its debate on whether ‘it is right to condemn Iran for stoning’ on 5 September 2010 via webcam. During the debate, the programme allowed only two interventions via webcam (that of Suhaib Hassan of the Islamic Sharia Council and Mohammad Morandi of Tehran University – both of whom were in support of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s stoning and/or execution). I (who had presumably been invited to defend Ms Ashtiani and oppose stoning in the debate) was never given the opportunity to speak.
To the BBC’s Sunday Live Programme
I am writing to ask that you rectify gross inaccuracies regarding Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s case and that of stoning in Iran in your upcoming programme.
Presenter Susanna Reid repeatedly provided misinformation on Sakineh’s case and on the practice of stoning in Iran during the 5 September debate on whether it was ‘right to condemn Iran for stoning.’
The first major inaccuracies were regarding the practice of stoning in Iran.
In the clip preceding the debate, Susanna Reid said that ‘the Iranian government says it is stopping stoning as a punishment for adultery and homosexuality.’ During the debate, she said: ‘Officially the Iranian government does not condone stoning. There has been an official moratorium since 2002. Officially it has been dropped from the penal code.’ Obviously these two statements contradict one another – either the Iranian government has stopped stoning or it is stopping it, but has not yet done so.
In fact, stoning is still part of the penal code. Moreover, despite a 2002 moratorium (which is not the same as officially dropping stoning from its penal code), 19 people have been stoned since and including 2002.
And far from being rare, as Ms Reid stressed on a number of occasions, there have been 150 known cases of death by stoning since 1980 with more than 20 people awaiting death by stoning in Iran right now, including Azar Bagheri who was 15 when she was arrested. The list of those stoned or awaiting death by stoning compiled by the International Committee against Executions can be found here.
Furthermore, contrary to the comments provided by the Islamic Sharia Council, stoning sentences are issued not only when there are four witnesses but also as a result of confession, thus explaining why Ms Ashtiani was forced to ‘confess’ on TV, clearly under duress.
The other important inaccuracy was that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has been sentenced to execution for the murder of her husband. This was mentioned a number of times in the programme without providing information to the contrary.
In fact, Ms Ashtiani has been sentenced to death by stoning for adultery and not for murdering her husband. At a 30 July press conference in London, Mina Ahadi of the International Committee against Execution and International Committee against Stoning and I provided evidence of the stoning verdict. You can see a copy of the actual court judgment of stoning for adultery here.
Sakineh has never been found guilty of murdering her husband in an Iranian court. Even the man who was found guilty of her husband’s murder has not been executed. In Iran, under Diyeh laws, the family of the victim can ask for the death penalty to be revoked. Sakineh’s 22 year old son, Sajjad, explains why he and his 17 year old sister spared the man’s life in an interview with French writer and philosopher, Bernard-Henri Levy.
The reason the Islamic regime of Iran is branding her a murderer and denying sentences of death by stoning for adultery is because of the international campaign in her defence and against the medieval and brutal punishment of stoning. It hopes to provide legitimacy for her execution now that it may not be able to stone her because of the public outcry. Unfortunately your programme has done the same.
Given that a woman’s life is at stake, it becomes all the more urgent for your programme to rectify its inaccuracies.
I look forward to your immediate response and action.
***
You can see an Executive Producer's response and my reply here.
Notes:
1. The programme can be seen here until next Sunday and begins at 47.00 minutes.
2. Every day from today until next Sunday’s programme, I will write a post addressing other issues raised in the debate, which never received a response.
8 September 2010
BBC Sunday Live invited me to join its debate on whether ‘it is right to condemn Iran for stoning’ on 5 September 2010 via webcam. During the debate, the programme allowed only two interventions via webcam (that of Suhaib Hassan of the Islamic Sharia Council and Mohammad Morandi of Tehran University – both of whom were in support of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s stoning and/or execution). I (who had presumably been invited to defend Ms Ashtiani and oppose stoning in the debate) was never given the opportunity to speak.
To the BBC’s Sunday Live Programme
I am writing to ask that you rectify gross inaccuracies regarding Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s case and that of stoning in Iran in your upcoming programme.
Presenter Susanna Reid repeatedly provided misinformation on Sakineh’s case and on the practice of stoning in Iran during the 5 September debate on whether it was ‘right to condemn Iran for stoning.’
The first major inaccuracies were regarding the practice of stoning in Iran.
In the clip preceding the debate, Susanna Reid said that ‘the Iranian government says it is stopping stoning as a punishment for adultery and homosexuality.’ During the debate, she said: ‘Officially the Iranian government does not condone stoning. There has been an official moratorium since 2002. Officially it has been dropped from the penal code.’ Obviously these two statements contradict one another – either the Iranian government has stopped stoning or it is stopping it, but has not yet done so.
In fact, stoning is still part of the penal code. Moreover, despite a 2002 moratorium (which is not the same as officially dropping stoning from its penal code), 19 people have been stoned since and including 2002.
And far from being rare, as Ms Reid stressed on a number of occasions, there have been 150 known cases of death by stoning since 1980 with more than 20 people awaiting death by stoning in Iran right now, including Azar Bagheri who was 15 when she was arrested. The list of those stoned or awaiting death by stoning compiled by the International Committee against Executions can be found here.
Furthermore, contrary to the comments provided by the Islamic Sharia Council, stoning sentences are issued not only when there are four witnesses but also as a result of confession, thus explaining why Ms Ashtiani was forced to ‘confess’ on TV, clearly under duress.
The other important inaccuracy was that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has been sentenced to execution for the murder of her husband. This was mentioned a number of times in the programme without providing information to the contrary.
In fact, Ms Ashtiani has been sentenced to death by stoning for adultery and not for murdering her husband. At a 30 July press conference in London, Mina Ahadi of the International Committee against Execution and International Committee against Stoning and I provided evidence of the stoning verdict. You can see a copy of the actual court judgment of stoning for adultery here.
Sakineh has never been found guilty of murdering her husband in an Iranian court. Even the man who was found guilty of her husband’s murder has not been executed. In Iran, under Diyeh laws, the family of the victim can ask for the death penalty to be revoked. Sakineh’s 22 year old son, Sajjad, explains why he and his 17 year old sister spared the man’s life in an interview with French writer and philosopher, Bernard-Henri Levy.
The reason the Islamic regime of Iran is branding her a murderer and denying sentences of death by stoning for adultery is because of the international campaign in her defence and against the medieval and brutal punishment of stoning. It hopes to provide legitimacy for her execution now that it may not be able to stone her because of the public outcry. Unfortunately your programme has done the same.
Given that a woman’s life is at stake, it becomes all the more urgent for your programme to rectify its inaccuracies.
I look forward to your immediate response and action.
***
You can see an Executive Producer's response and my reply here.
Notes:
1. The programme can be seen here until next Sunday and begins at 47.00 minutes.
2. Every day from today until next Sunday’s programme, I will write a post addressing other issues raised in the debate, which never received a response.
Saturday September 18th: Citizens of the World against the Regime of Flogging and Stoning
A Call for Urgent Action
Saturday September 18th: Citizens of the World against the Regime of Flogging and Stoning
The Islamic Republic has once again, in accordance with its savage Islamic laws, flogged Sakineh 99 times. The regime has used a picture published in the London Times of a woman, purportedly Ashtiani, whithout the Islamic hijab, as an excuse to flog her on charges of spreading corruption and indecency. The regime last week threatened Sakineh to be executed on Sunday August 29th. And of course both the execution sentence and stoning are still hanging over her head.
Sajjad told the audience of today's press conference in Paris by phone that he’s worried that by the conclusion of Ramadan this week, his mother would be executed.
Indeed we are dealing with a sadistic Islamic regime. It is killing Sakineh little by little, to demonstrate its continued existence. Every move of this regime further reveals the depths of its savagery, the utter absence of peoples' rights, the dimensions of the regime’s misogyny, the sheer defenseless of prisoners, the barbarity of the judiciary system of this regime, the backwardness of religious laws, and the heights of the regime's savagery and blood lust, and - at the same time - its total impotence.
It is necessary to come out with full force to save Sakineh Ashtiani and stand against the Regime of Stoning and Flogging.
We have always said that as an effective step to supporting the people in Iran in their struggle against the Islamic Republic, this regime should be politically boycotted and its embassies and offices closed around the world. For years we have said this regime should be expelled from the international community, from the United Nations, from the International Labor Organization, and all other communities, and not to be recognized as the representative of the Iranian people. The time to implement these demands is now.
The people of Iran do not accept that the Islamic Republic be given a podium from which to speak by any entity or government . The Islamic Republic is the shame of humanity and its leaders must be prosecuted for 31 years of daily crimes against people.
We ask all citizens of the world to demonstrate on Saturday, the 18th of September, in all cities around the world, against the Islamic Republic of Flogging, Stoning and Execution. Demonstrate and condemn this regime. Announce that Sakineh must be immediately and unconditionally free. Stoning, execution, flogging and the like all should be abolished forever. Demand that this Regime of Flogging, Stoning and Execution not be recognized and that its offices and embassies be closed everywhere.
Announce that Ahmadinejad should not be permitted to take part in the General Assembly of the United Nations, from behind a podium, as the representative of Iranian people. Prepare yourself for demonstrations against the Regime of Flogging and Stoning and Execution. Tell your friends. Decide the place and time of demonstration and inform us. We know that this is short notice, but this time, we must try to have even larger demonstrations that on the 28th of August.
International Committee Against Stoning (http://stopstonningnow.com)
Iran Solidarity (www.iransolidarity.org.uk)
Mission Free Iran (www.missionfreeiran.com)
International Committee Against Execution (http://notonemoreexecution.org)
September 6, 2010
Saturday September 18th: Citizens of the World against the Regime of Flogging and Stoning
The Islamic Republic has once again, in accordance with its savage Islamic laws, flogged Sakineh 99 times. The regime has used a picture published in the London Times of a woman, purportedly Ashtiani, whithout the Islamic hijab, as an excuse to flog her on charges of spreading corruption and indecency. The regime last week threatened Sakineh to be executed on Sunday August 29th. And of course both the execution sentence and stoning are still hanging over her head.
Sajjad told the audience of today's press conference in Paris by phone that he’s worried that by the conclusion of Ramadan this week, his mother would be executed.
Indeed we are dealing with a sadistic Islamic regime. It is killing Sakineh little by little, to demonstrate its continued existence. Every move of this regime further reveals the depths of its savagery, the utter absence of peoples' rights, the dimensions of the regime’s misogyny, the sheer defenseless of prisoners, the barbarity of the judiciary system of this regime, the backwardness of religious laws, and the heights of the regime's savagery and blood lust, and - at the same time - its total impotence.
It is necessary to come out with full force to save Sakineh Ashtiani and stand against the Regime of Stoning and Flogging.
We have always said that as an effective step to supporting the people in Iran in their struggle against the Islamic Republic, this regime should be politically boycotted and its embassies and offices closed around the world. For years we have said this regime should be expelled from the international community, from the United Nations, from the International Labor Organization, and all other communities, and not to be recognized as the representative of the Iranian people. The time to implement these demands is now.
The people of Iran do not accept that the Islamic Republic be given a podium from which to speak by any entity or government . The Islamic Republic is the shame of humanity and its leaders must be prosecuted for 31 years of daily crimes against people.
We ask all citizens of the world to demonstrate on Saturday, the 18th of September, in all cities around the world, against the Islamic Republic of Flogging, Stoning and Execution. Demonstrate and condemn this regime. Announce that Sakineh must be immediately and unconditionally free. Stoning, execution, flogging and the like all should be abolished forever. Demand that this Regime of Flogging, Stoning and Execution not be recognized and that its offices and embassies be closed everywhere.
Announce that Ahmadinejad should not be permitted to take part in the General Assembly of the United Nations, from behind a podium, as the representative of Iranian people. Prepare yourself for demonstrations against the Regime of Flogging and Stoning and Execution. Tell your friends. Decide the place and time of demonstration and inform us. We know that this is short notice, but this time, we must try to have even larger demonstrations that on the 28th of August.
International Committee Against Stoning (http://stopstonningnow.com)
Iran Solidarity (www.iransolidarity.org.uk)
Mission Free Iran (www.missionfreeiran.com)
International Committee Against Execution (http://notonemoreexecution.org)
September 6, 2010
Tuesday, 7 September 2010
On Sakine Mohahammadi Ashtiani's flogging for the second time
PR 62
Sep 5, 2010
On Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani's flogging for the second time
The news of Sakineh Ashtiani’s recent lashing sentence as punishment for spreading corruption and prostitution” because an unveiled photo of her - which turned out to be of another individual - was published in the London Times on August 28, 2010, stirred media attention and invoked international outrage against this barbaric act by the Islamic Republic. However, the person who leaked the alleged photo of Sakineh to The Times is “strongly” denying the new flogging sentencing for Sakineh, on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s judicial system. We, of course, strongly wish to believe that Sakineh’s new sentence is not true, but the evidence provided indicates otherwise. So the following details should be noted:
1) The accuracy of this new sentence has been confirmed by both Sakineh’s’ son, Sajjad, and her attorney Mr. Houtan Kian during their interviews with various media outlets.
2) As we reported before, the Islamic Republic has prohibited any visits to Sakineh for the past two weeks. Her children and her attorney have not been allowed to see her or talk to her over the phone. This in itself could be an indication that the barbaric regime in Iran wanted to cover up the flogging of Sakineh based on a false allegation.
3) It was precisely because Sakineh was denied any visits or contacts that her children and Mr. Kian had to find out about the flogging sentence through two of Sakineh’s former cellmates, who were released recently. The news has also later been confirmed by other sources, such as the prison workers.
4) One of the reasons Sakineh’s former attorney has mentioned for denying that this sentence has been issued is that there is no legal basis within the Islamic Republic’s judicial system for this punishment. First of all, let’s not forget that lawlessness rules in the Islamic Republic’s judicial system where the rule of law is based on terror, cruelty and crimes against humanity, especially against women. Secondly, based on the information we have received, Sakineh Mohammadi was sentenced to a second round of 99 lashes based on the Prison’s interior disciplinary regulations and this sentencing was not part of her ongoing and current case, a practice that regularly happens in prisons.
Finally, we would like to point out that Sakineh is still being imprisoned by the Islamic Republic, that her stoning sentence formally stands, that her execution sentence has been passed to the ‘Implementation Department’, that it was only on Saturday, August 28th, that she was subjected to a sick hoax by being told to prepare for execution the next day, and that it has been almost two weeks that we have not had any news about her. It is under these circumstances that we received the news about the second round of flogging, 99 lashes, from her current attorney and her children. We should not allow the statements of those who unfortunately try to appear in the role of prosecutors for and supporters of the Islamic Republic to undermine the worldwide human campaign to save Sakineh and others like her caught in the prisons of the Islamic Republic.
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
(Translated from Farsi by Kathy Montazem)
Do you wish to financially support the cause? Please make your donation at:
http://countmein-iran.com/donate.html
Your contribution, however small, is essential to help move the campaign to save Sakineh forward.
Sep 5, 2010
On Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani's flogging for the second time
The news of Sakineh Ashtiani’s recent lashing sentence as punishment for spreading corruption and prostitution” because an unveiled photo of her - which turned out to be of another individual - was published in the London Times on August 28, 2010, stirred media attention and invoked international outrage against this barbaric act by the Islamic Republic. However, the person who leaked the alleged photo of Sakineh to The Times is “strongly” denying the new flogging sentencing for Sakineh, on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s judicial system. We, of course, strongly wish to believe that Sakineh’s new sentence is not true, but the evidence provided indicates otherwise. So the following details should be noted:
1) The accuracy of this new sentence has been confirmed by both Sakineh’s’ son, Sajjad, and her attorney Mr. Houtan Kian during their interviews with various media outlets.
2) As we reported before, the Islamic Republic has prohibited any visits to Sakineh for the past two weeks. Her children and her attorney have not been allowed to see her or talk to her over the phone. This in itself could be an indication that the barbaric regime in Iran wanted to cover up the flogging of Sakineh based on a false allegation.
3) It was precisely because Sakineh was denied any visits or contacts that her children and Mr. Kian had to find out about the flogging sentence through two of Sakineh’s former cellmates, who were released recently. The news has also later been confirmed by other sources, such as the prison workers.
4) One of the reasons Sakineh’s former attorney has mentioned for denying that this sentence has been issued is that there is no legal basis within the Islamic Republic’s judicial system for this punishment. First of all, let’s not forget that lawlessness rules in the Islamic Republic’s judicial system where the rule of law is based on terror, cruelty and crimes against humanity, especially against women. Secondly, based on the information we have received, Sakineh Mohammadi was sentenced to a second round of 99 lashes based on the Prison’s interior disciplinary regulations and this sentencing was not part of her ongoing and current case, a practice that regularly happens in prisons.
Finally, we would like to point out that Sakineh is still being imprisoned by the Islamic Republic, that her stoning sentence formally stands, that her execution sentence has been passed to the ‘Implementation Department’, that it was only on Saturday, August 28th, that she was subjected to a sick hoax by being told to prepare for execution the next day, and that it has been almost two weeks that we have not had any news about her. It is under these circumstances that we received the news about the second round of flogging, 99 lashes, from her current attorney and her children. We should not allow the statements of those who unfortunately try to appear in the role of prosecutors for and supporters of the Islamic Republic to undermine the worldwide human campaign to save Sakineh and others like her caught in the prisons of the Islamic Republic.
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
(Translated from Farsi by Kathy Montazem)
Do you wish to financially support the cause? Please make your donation at:
http://countmein-iran.com/donate.html
Your contribution, however small, is essential to help move the campaign to save Sakineh forward.
Italy rises to Sakineh’s defence
PR 59
Sep 1, 2010
On Wednesday 1st September, a large poster of Sakineh was hung from a building in the centre of Rome. The Italian government has also hung a large image of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani from the offices of the ‘Ministry of Equal Rights’ and has exhorted the Iranian government to cancel Sakineh’s execution.
Today, 1st of September, almost all branches of the Italian media carried news about Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. In Venice, following the annual film festival, a demonstration has been organised to protest against the sentence to execute and stone Sakineh. Tomorrow, Thursday, there will be a major protest in front of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s embassy in Rome against stoning and in defence of Sakineh.
Italy’s foreign minister has written against this sentence on his website and has asked people to join the protests. In the last ten days, 86,528 signatures have been collected in Italy for the defence and freedom of Sakineh. Tomorrow’s protest is organised by the green party and other left-wing parties and it is anticipated that many people will join this demonstration. The Italian authorities want to be seen as strong supporters of Sakineh’s rights and there is talk of their going further than France in her defence.
In Florence, a large image of Sakineh has been hung from the entrance of the town council. It is expected that other cities will follow their example.
The International Committee against Stoning and Execution invites everybody, regardless of their nationality, to join this great, world-wide movement to save Sakineh, to prohibit stoning and execution, and oppose the Islamic government.
International Committee against Stoning
International Committee against Execution
1st September 2010
Translation: Susan Azadeh
Do you want to help financing the cause? Please make your donation at:
http://countmein-iran.com/donate.html
Your contribution how ever "small" is essential to further progress of the campaign "save Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani"
Sep 1, 2010
On Wednesday 1st September, a large poster of Sakineh was hung from a building in the centre of Rome. The Italian government has also hung a large image of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani from the offices of the ‘Ministry of Equal Rights’ and has exhorted the Iranian government to cancel Sakineh’s execution.
Today, 1st of September, almost all branches of the Italian media carried news about Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. In Venice, following the annual film festival, a demonstration has been organised to protest against the sentence to execute and stone Sakineh. Tomorrow, Thursday, there will be a major protest in front of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s embassy in Rome against stoning and in defence of Sakineh.
Italy’s foreign minister has written against this sentence on his website and has asked people to join the protests. In the last ten days, 86,528 signatures have been collected in Italy for the defence and freedom of Sakineh. Tomorrow’s protest is organised by the green party and other left-wing parties and it is anticipated that many people will join this demonstration. The Italian authorities want to be seen as strong supporters of Sakineh’s rights and there is talk of their going further than France in her defence.
In Florence, a large image of Sakineh has been hung from the entrance of the town council. It is expected that other cities will follow their example.
The International Committee against Stoning and Execution invites everybody, regardless of their nationality, to join this great, world-wide movement to save Sakineh, to prohibit stoning and execution, and oppose the Islamic government.
International Committee against Stoning
International Committee against Execution
1st September 2010
Translation: Susan Azadeh
Do you want to help financing the cause? Please make your donation at:
http://countmein-iran.com/donate.html
Your contribution how ever "small" is essential to further progress of the campaign "save Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani"
Saturday, 4 September 2010
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani Sentenced to Another 99 Lashes!
PR 61
According to an open letter published today, September 3rd, by Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, son of Mrs. Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, under the pretext of the publication in the London Times of a photo of a woman without Islamic hijab, Sakineh has been sentenced to 99 lashes on charges of spreading corruption and indecency.
On August 28, The Times mistakenly published a front page photo of a woman without Islamic hijab and attributed the image as that of Mrs. Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. However, the photo was actually of another woman, Mrs. Susan Hejrat, a political activist living in Sweden. The photo of Mrs. Hejrat had been published earlier on a website along with her article about Sakineh.
As soon as we became aware of the distribution of this picture by the London Times, and subsequently in the Aftonbladet newspaper in Sweden, we informed those publications that this picture in fact was not Sakineh. These papers have apologized to Susan Hejrat. The London Times, in its September 3rd issue, while correcting this mistake, also apologized to their readers for the error. They noted that this picture was obtained from Mr. Mohammad Mostafaei. The London Times also wrote that Mr. Mostafaei has claimed to have received the picture from Sajjad. Obviously this claim has no basis in fact whatsoever; furthermore, Sajjad has denied Mostafaei's claim in his letter. It is Mr. Mostafaei's responsibility to provide an explanation as to why he has disseminated counterfeit photo and information regarding Sakineh's case; his action has only led to increased pressure on Sakineh and her family.
We strongly condemn this barbaric new sentence of 99 lashes imposed by the Islamic Republic against Sakineh and we demand that this sentence be abandoned immediately.
We take this opportunity to ask the media to be more meticulous in their reporting on this case.
For the purposes of informing the public, we provide below the full text of Sajjad's letter of September 3, 2010.
International Committee against Stoning
International Committee against Execution
September 3, 2010
Open Letter 2 from Sajjad Ghaderzadeh
Greetings.
Regarding the latest developments in the case of my mother, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, I, Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, inform you of the following:
1. On August 25, 2010, our lawyer visited Branch 9 of the Supreme Court. At his urging, the court requested the original files on our mother's case from Tabriz; as the case has now been referred to the Supreme Court for review, Tabriz no longer has jurisdiction in the case. For unknown reasons, Branch 9 has also requested the files concerning my father's murder; however, the original files on his murder case have disappeared from Branch 7 in Tabriz, and the copies, which had been on file with the Homicide Unit of the Oskou Police Department, are also missing. This has led to a suspension of the proceedings in her case. I conclude this part of my letter with gratitude to human rights defenders and I wish them success in their sacred cause.
2. Subsequent to the August 20, 2010 London Times interview with our lawyer, Mr. Javid Houtan Kian, he sent the Times a photo of my mother taken when she worked at Arghavan Day Care Center in the city of Oskou. The picture was supposed to have been published the following day in the London Times; due to lack of access to the publication, there was no way for us to know otherwise. For unknown reasons, the London Times published a picture of another woman without hijab instead of our mother's picture. We do not know how that picture was originally obtained, nor to whom the picture belongs.
As we have not been able to meet our mother since her television interview, according to information coming from those released from the women's ward last night, the publication of this picture has given the prison authorities an excuse to increase their harassment of our mother. My mother has been called in to see the judge in charge of prison misdemeanors and he has sentenced our helpless mother to 99 lashes on false charges of spreading corruption and indecency by disseminating this picture of a woman presumed to be her [Sakineh] without hijab.
Later, through conversations with informed people outside Iran, I was told that the above-referenced picture, which was published instead of our mother's picture, had been provided to the Times by our mother's former lawyer (Mr. Mohammad Mostafaei), who I nevertheless thank for all of his contributions. I wish that this were not true and that they were mistaken.
I would like to clarify that our mother's court-appointed lawyers, Mr. Sohrab Samangan and Mr. Zaré, could not defend her and on the contrary paved the way for the stoning sentence and then contributed to this cruel sentence being upheld. Due to their incompetence, we approached Mr. Mohammad Mostafaei and he agreed to defend our mother both on an individual basis and as a member of a team of lawyers after having received a heavy sum of 20 million rials. According to undoubtable documents, this sum was paid to a woman lawyer sent by Mr. Mostafaei.
As he did not make any effective legal or judicial efforts to save our mother's life, and did not take advantage of existing legal avenues, according to the document sent on 30th Khordad 1389, Mr.Mostafaei was dismissed by my mother. Unfortunately, we still hear about his deeds and commentary, which suggests his unintentional collusion with those who are bloodthirsty within the system. Although I still hope that what we hear is not correct, but, today, I announce to all advocates of human rights worldwide that honorable Mr. Mohammad Mostafaei only for a short while, and via a woman lawyer, had the responsibility of the defense of our mother in her stoning case, and this case is separate from my father's murder case. This means that he [Mr.Mostafaei] could not have been aware of files [of my father's case], their contents and subject, their dates nor the responsible branch, in order to make any comment about them.
Here we renew our gratitude and thankfulness to Mr. Mostafaei and humbly beg him not to make any further comments regarding our mother's file or our father's murder case to any authority or entity that is not confirmed by us.
Best wishes,
Sajjad Ghaderzadeh
Mina Ahadi
International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
http://notonemoreexecution.org
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/
According to an open letter published today, September 3rd, by Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, son of Mrs. Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, under the pretext of the publication in the London Times of a photo of a woman without Islamic hijab, Sakineh has been sentenced to 99 lashes on charges of spreading corruption and indecency.
On August 28, The Times mistakenly published a front page photo of a woman without Islamic hijab and attributed the image as that of Mrs. Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. However, the photo was actually of another woman, Mrs. Susan Hejrat, a political activist living in Sweden. The photo of Mrs. Hejrat had been published earlier on a website along with her article about Sakineh.
As soon as we became aware of the distribution of this picture by the London Times, and subsequently in the Aftonbladet newspaper in Sweden, we informed those publications that this picture in fact was not Sakineh. These papers have apologized to Susan Hejrat. The London Times, in its September 3rd issue, while correcting this mistake, also apologized to their readers for the error. They noted that this picture was obtained from Mr. Mohammad Mostafaei. The London Times also wrote that Mr. Mostafaei has claimed to have received the picture from Sajjad. Obviously this claim has no basis in fact whatsoever; furthermore, Sajjad has denied Mostafaei's claim in his letter. It is Mr. Mostafaei's responsibility to provide an explanation as to why he has disseminated counterfeit photo and information regarding Sakineh's case; his action has only led to increased pressure on Sakineh and her family.
We strongly condemn this barbaric new sentence of 99 lashes imposed by the Islamic Republic against Sakineh and we demand that this sentence be abandoned immediately.
We take this opportunity to ask the media to be more meticulous in their reporting on this case.
For the purposes of informing the public, we provide below the full text of Sajjad's letter of September 3, 2010.
International Committee against Stoning
International Committee against Execution
September 3, 2010
Open Letter 2 from Sajjad Ghaderzadeh
Greetings.
Regarding the latest developments in the case of my mother, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, I, Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, inform you of the following:
1. On August 25, 2010, our lawyer visited Branch 9 of the Supreme Court. At his urging, the court requested the original files on our mother's case from Tabriz; as the case has now been referred to the Supreme Court for review, Tabriz no longer has jurisdiction in the case. For unknown reasons, Branch 9 has also requested the files concerning my father's murder; however, the original files on his murder case have disappeared from Branch 7 in Tabriz, and the copies, which had been on file with the Homicide Unit of the Oskou Police Department, are also missing. This has led to a suspension of the proceedings in her case. I conclude this part of my letter with gratitude to human rights defenders and I wish them success in their sacred cause.
2. Subsequent to the August 20, 2010 London Times interview with our lawyer, Mr. Javid Houtan Kian, he sent the Times a photo of my mother taken when she worked at Arghavan Day Care Center in the city of Oskou. The picture was supposed to have been published the following day in the London Times; due to lack of access to the publication, there was no way for us to know otherwise. For unknown reasons, the London Times published a picture of another woman without hijab instead of our mother's picture. We do not know how that picture was originally obtained, nor to whom the picture belongs.
As we have not been able to meet our mother since her television interview, according to information coming from those released from the women's ward last night, the publication of this picture has given the prison authorities an excuse to increase their harassment of our mother. My mother has been called in to see the judge in charge of prison misdemeanors and he has sentenced our helpless mother to 99 lashes on false charges of spreading corruption and indecency by disseminating this picture of a woman presumed to be her [Sakineh] without hijab.
Later, through conversations with informed people outside Iran, I was told that the above-referenced picture, which was published instead of our mother's picture, had been provided to the Times by our mother's former lawyer (Mr. Mohammad Mostafaei), who I nevertheless thank for all of his contributions. I wish that this were not true and that they were mistaken.
I would like to clarify that our mother's court-appointed lawyers, Mr. Sohrab Samangan and Mr. Zaré, could not defend her and on the contrary paved the way for the stoning sentence and then contributed to this cruel sentence being upheld. Due to their incompetence, we approached Mr. Mohammad Mostafaei and he agreed to defend our mother both on an individual basis and as a member of a team of lawyers after having received a heavy sum of 20 million rials. According to undoubtable documents, this sum was paid to a woman lawyer sent by Mr. Mostafaei.
As he did not make any effective legal or judicial efforts to save our mother's life, and did not take advantage of existing legal avenues, according to the document sent on 30th Khordad 1389, Mr.Mostafaei was dismissed by my mother. Unfortunately, we still hear about his deeds and commentary, which suggests his unintentional collusion with those who are bloodthirsty within the system. Although I still hope that what we hear is not correct, but, today, I announce to all advocates of human rights worldwide that honorable Mr. Mohammad Mostafaei only for a short while, and via a woman lawyer, had the responsibility of the defense of our mother in her stoning case, and this case is separate from my father's murder case. This means that he [Mr.Mostafaei] could not have been aware of files [of my father's case], their contents and subject, their dates nor the responsible branch, in order to make any comment about them.
Here we renew our gratitude and thankfulness to Mr. Mostafaei and humbly beg him not to make any further comments regarding our mother's file or our father's murder case to any authority or entity that is not confirmed by us.
Best wishes,
Sajjad Ghaderzadeh
Mina Ahadi
International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
http://notonemoreexecution.org
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is Held Incommunicado
PR 60
According to news sent to the International Committees against Execution and Stoning, responsible parties within Tabriz prison have told Mrs. Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani that she is not allowed visits with her children or her lawyer.
Today, as last week, Sakineh's children have not been allowed to visit their mother. Prison authorities have informed them that their mother is no longer allowed to have contact with the outside world.
According to other received news, Mr. Houtan Kian, Mrs. Ashtiani's lawyer, is also under increasingly intense pressure.
The International Committees against Execution and Stoning condemn this attitude of the Islamic Republic and call upon the people of the world to increase their efforts to free Sakineh. Every reaction by the Islamic Republic bears a sign of the savagery of this regime, indicates the inhuman judiciary system, indicates that people of Iran are utterly bereft of their rights, and at the same time indicates the weakness and desperation of this regime in the face of increasing international pressure.
International Committee against Stoning
International Committee against Execution
September 2, 2010
(Translated by MFI)
According to news sent to the International Committees against Execution and Stoning, responsible parties within Tabriz prison have told Mrs. Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani that she is not allowed visits with her children or her lawyer.
Today, as last week, Sakineh's children have not been allowed to visit their mother. Prison authorities have informed them that their mother is no longer allowed to have contact with the outside world.
According to other received news, Mr. Houtan Kian, Mrs. Ashtiani's lawyer, is also under increasingly intense pressure.
The International Committees against Execution and Stoning condemn this attitude of the Islamic Republic and call upon the people of the world to increase their efforts to free Sakineh. Every reaction by the Islamic Republic bears a sign of the savagery of this regime, indicates the inhuman judiciary system, indicates that people of Iran are utterly bereft of their rights, and at the same time indicates the weakness and desperation of this regime in the face of increasing international pressure.
International Committee against Stoning
International Committee against Execution
September 2, 2010
(Translated by MFI)
Monday, 30 August 2010
The latest letter of Sajjad, son of Sakineh Ashtiani
PR No. 58
August 30, 2010
The letter by Sajjad, Sakineh Ashtiani’s son, below has been received by the International Committee Against Stoning on August 30, 2010. In this letter Sajjad reports on his mother’s dangerous situation, his father’s murder file having gone missing, as well as on the raid on the house of Hootan Kian’s, his mother’s lawyer, and the stealing of documents from there. Further, he warns against making up a new case against his mother. He asks us all to beware of these new developments and make efforts to prevent the Islamic Republic from fabricating a new case against his mother and, subsequently, executing her.
The letter will be released to the media through the International Committee Against Stoning.
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
August 30, 2010
The verbatim translation of Sajjad’s letter:
In the Name of God
To all associations of defenders of human rights around the immense universe
I salute you and deeply appreciate your daily troubles to free my innocent mother (save her life).
I, Sajjad Ghaderzade, went to Division 7 of the office of Execution of Criminal Sentences in Tabriz [provincial capital of Eastern Azerbaijan] last week in order to collect all the documents relevant to my father’s death and obtain other evidence existing in his murder file. What I found out was that my father’s murder file was not at the said division. The officials of the division first claimed that since the case had been closed the file had been sent to the Still Filing Office. I went there. The official in charge said all he knew was that the file had not been received by their office. I went back to the Division, this time only to find out that the file had got lost. As a rule a copy of [all the documents relevant to] the investigation phase of my father’s, or anyone else’s murder, is kept at the [Police] Criminal Department of every town. So I had to go the Criminal Department of Oskoo Police, which I did. What I found out was that the copy which was supposed to be there was also missing. Therefore, [especially] in view of the false statement [on August 28, 2010] by the so-called Department of Citizens’ Rights Only [originally, the High Council of Human Rights] of the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic [see http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/3425], it is possible that the case is being tampered with or a new case is being made up. This worries us very much. It is worth noting that on Sunday, 1389/5/31 [Solar Hijri Calendar], August 22, 2010, the house of our lawyer (Mr. Hootan Kian) was raided through beating and pushing aside the security guard of the residential tower, an old man, and breaking down the apartment door in the worst possible way. His laptop, printer, and all of his files, including my mother’s, were taken. When we called there it looked like there had been an earthquake in that house.
We (I) wander at the Judiciary authorities [and their Statement on Human Rights] when the previous lawyer of this humble party, [consisting of my mother, my sister and myself,] Mr. Mohammad Mostafaei, a most competent lawyer, had to escape his homeland and leave his abode behind in order to save his life. And now Mr. Hootan Kian is being put under the most intense security and psychological pressures, threatened in the most severe manner, and summoned [to either the judiciary of the Ministry of Intelligence].
Why do they extract a false confession from my mother and broadcast it [on TV]? Why have they taken away our mother’s right to visitation with us and her lawyer?! Can the reason be anything other than that the torture marks are still visible on her body and they do not want any witnesses to that, and that is why they have postponed the visitations until after the marks have got relatively better?! Why has my father’s murder file gone missing? Why will they not let my mother’s case go through a normal process of reviewing? We are sad, indeed, to have been born in the Islamic Republic. After its television show [of my mother’s confessing to my father’s murder] we have been disowned even by our own [extended] family! And we still have to bear the life under abasement here! Indeed, where is death? This life is killing us!
Sajjad Ghaderzade
August 30, 2010
The letter by Sajjad, Sakineh Ashtiani’s son, below has been received by the International Committee Against Stoning on August 30, 2010. In this letter Sajjad reports on his mother’s dangerous situation, his father’s murder file having gone missing, as well as on the raid on the house of Hootan Kian’s, his mother’s lawyer, and the stealing of documents from there. Further, he warns against making up a new case against his mother. He asks us all to beware of these new developments and make efforts to prevent the Islamic Republic from fabricating a new case against his mother and, subsequently, executing her.
The letter will be released to the media through the International Committee Against Stoning.
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
August 30, 2010
The verbatim translation of Sajjad’s letter:
In the Name of God
To all associations of defenders of human rights around the immense universe
I salute you and deeply appreciate your daily troubles to free my innocent mother (save her life).
I, Sajjad Ghaderzade, went to Division 7 of the office of Execution of Criminal Sentences in Tabriz [provincial capital of Eastern Azerbaijan] last week in order to collect all the documents relevant to my father’s death and obtain other evidence existing in his murder file. What I found out was that my father’s murder file was not at the said division. The officials of the division first claimed that since the case had been closed the file had been sent to the Still Filing Office. I went there. The official in charge said all he knew was that the file had not been received by their office. I went back to the Division, this time only to find out that the file had got lost. As a rule a copy of [all the documents relevant to] the investigation phase of my father’s, or anyone else’s murder, is kept at the [Police] Criminal Department of every town. So I had to go the Criminal Department of Oskoo Police, which I did. What I found out was that the copy which was supposed to be there was also missing. Therefore, [especially] in view of the false statement [on August 28, 2010] by the so-called Department of Citizens’ Rights Only [originally, the High Council of Human Rights] of the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic [see http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/3425], it is possible that the case is being tampered with or a new case is being made up. This worries us very much. It is worth noting that on Sunday, 1389/5/31 [Solar Hijri Calendar], August 22, 2010, the house of our lawyer (Mr. Hootan Kian) was raided through beating and pushing aside the security guard of the residential tower, an old man, and breaking down the apartment door in the worst possible way. His laptop, printer, and all of his files, including my mother’s, were taken. When we called there it looked like there had been an earthquake in that house.
We (I) wander at the Judiciary authorities [and their Statement on Human Rights] when the previous lawyer of this humble party, [consisting of my mother, my sister and myself,] Mr. Mohammad Mostafaei, a most competent lawyer, had to escape his homeland and leave his abode behind in order to save his life. And now Mr. Hootan Kian is being put under the most intense security and psychological pressures, threatened in the most severe manner, and summoned [to either the judiciary of the Ministry of Intelligence].
Why do they extract a false confession from my mother and broadcast it [on TV]? Why have they taken away our mother’s right to visitation with us and her lawyer?! Can the reason be anything other than that the torture marks are still visible on her body and they do not want any witnesses to that, and that is why they have postponed the visitations until after the marks have got relatively better?! Why has my father’s murder file gone missing? Why will they not let my mother’s case go through a normal process of reviewing? We are sad, indeed, to have been born in the Islamic Republic. After its television show [of my mother’s confessing to my father’s murder] we have been disowned even by our own [extended] family! And we still have to bear the life under abasement here! Indeed, where is death? This life is killing us!
Sajjad Ghaderzade
Sunday, 29 August 2010
The Islamic Republic Threatened that Sakineh Would be Executed on the 29th of August
PR No.56
August 29, 2010
On the 28th of August, in connection with the global protests against stoning and the death penalty that took place in at least 111 cities around the world, the authorities of Tabriz prison informed Sakineh that she would be executed on the 29th of August at dawn. She was told that she could write her will if she wished to do so. Sakineh started to cry and wrote her will. She waited for her execution the whole night. She waited for the guards to take her to the place of execution. Sakineh's friends in prison showed her their deep grief and tried to comfort and calm her. However, until this hour, noon on August 29th, there has been no news concerning the completion of this death sentence. It seems that the Islamic Republic, while under immense international pressure, wanted to give the impression that it would not bow to world public opinion.
The International Committee against Stoning and the International Committee against Execution strongly condemn such heinous and criminal behavior of the Islamic regime towards prisoners sentenced to death. This [mock preparation for execution] is an indicator of the lack of detainees’ human rights. Over the years, the regime has threatened prisoners with execution sentences in order to intimidate and torture them mentally. Azar Bagheri is a young girl who has been in jail for four years, awaiting execution by stoning. She was 15 years old when she was convicted of adultery. She has been subjected to mock stonings twice [wrapped in a shroud and buried in preparation to be stoned, then released]. The dimensions of this regime's atrocities have no limits. Opposition by Iranian people and people worldwide is the only way to push back this regime and finally free the Iranian people and all of humanity from this Islamic regime.
The International Committee against Stoning and the International Committee against Execution will continue the campaign to save Sakineh and other prisoners sentenced to execution and stoning. From here, we encourage the world to participate actively in this struggle.
International Committee against Stoning (ICAS)
International Committee against Execution ICAE)
August 29, 2010
Mina Ahadi
International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
http://notonemoreexecution.org
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/
August 29, 2010
On the 28th of August, in connection with the global protests against stoning and the death penalty that took place in at least 111 cities around the world, the authorities of Tabriz prison informed Sakineh that she would be executed on the 29th of August at dawn. She was told that she could write her will if she wished to do so. Sakineh started to cry and wrote her will. She waited for her execution the whole night. She waited for the guards to take her to the place of execution. Sakineh's friends in prison showed her their deep grief and tried to comfort and calm her. However, until this hour, noon on August 29th, there has been no news concerning the completion of this death sentence. It seems that the Islamic Republic, while under immense international pressure, wanted to give the impression that it would not bow to world public opinion.
The International Committee against Stoning and the International Committee against Execution strongly condemn such heinous and criminal behavior of the Islamic regime towards prisoners sentenced to death. This [mock preparation for execution] is an indicator of the lack of detainees’ human rights. Over the years, the regime has threatened prisoners with execution sentences in order to intimidate and torture them mentally. Azar Bagheri is a young girl who has been in jail for four years, awaiting execution by stoning. She was 15 years old when she was convicted of adultery. She has been subjected to mock stonings twice [wrapped in a shroud and buried in preparation to be stoned, then released]. The dimensions of this regime's atrocities have no limits. Opposition by Iranian people and people worldwide is the only way to push back this regime and finally free the Iranian people and all of humanity from this Islamic regime.
The International Committee against Stoning and the International Committee against Execution will continue the campaign to save Sakineh and other prisoners sentenced to execution and stoning. From here, we encourage the world to participate actively in this struggle.
International Committee against Stoning (ICAS)
International Committee against Execution ICAE)
August 29, 2010
Mina Ahadi
International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
http://notonemoreexecution.org
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/
Sakineh Ashtiani's son, Sajjad, calls Washington DC protest direct from Iran
PR No. 57
August 29, 2010
On the occasion of the 100 Cities Around the World Against Stoning protests, 22-year old Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, Sakineh Ashtiani’s son, made a direct call to Mina Ahadi, the spokesperson for the International Committee Against Stoning (ICAS) and the International Committee Against Execution (ICAE). In his call, Sajjad addressed the crowd at the demonstration and thanked the world for their support. He said that the Islamic Republic regime was telling lies about their mother's guilt, and had ransacked her lawyer's office at his home and stole documents relevant to her case. It should be recognized that reaching out to the world in this manner and speaking against the regime puts Sajjad at grave risk of retribution by the regime.
The English translation of Sajjad's message is as follows:
"Greetings to all you who are participating in our mother’s demonstration and are carrying placards and her pictures. I would like to say that we love you all very much, and I sincerely thank you for your generous, kind attention. I also want to say that the official statement issued minutes ago by the Human Rights of the Judiciary concerning our mother’s case is totally false. We have found out that my mother’s murder file [that is, the case in which someone else had confessed to murdering Sakineh’s husband] is now missing. The Islamic Republic has been tampering with the file. Also, I’m sad to say, they raided the house of Mr. Kian, our lawyer, sometime this week and took all of our mother’s documents in his office. They also took his laptop computer and some other items of his belongings. [Or] they go to our mother, beat her, and then say to her: you must come on television and say these things. We want the whole world to help us in this ordeal. The lives of all those who are supporting us in Iran, such as Mr. Kian, our lawyer, are in danger. I thank you all, once again."
Two points in Sajjad’s call demand further clarification and emphasis: 1- The statement by the ‘Human Rights of the Judiciary’ he refers to is an official Statement issued by the High Council of Human Rights of the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran on August 28 (http://irna.com/html/1389/13890606/216498.htm). The statement, obviously issued under international pressure, and on the same day that the 100 Cities Around the World Against Stoning global protest was being held, starts off by complaining about ‘the taking position of the authorities [of other countries], international bodies, and some state and non-state media on the legal and judicial matters of countries,’ and goes on to catalogue a whole host of lies about Sakineh Ashtiani and the previous process of reviewing her case. What Sajjad said about his mother’s now-missing murder charge file, stealing the documents relevant to her case from her lawyer’s home, and the regime’s tampering with the case is, indeed, alarming. These developments clearly point to the regime’s efforts to fabricate a new case against Sakineh instead of ‘carefully reviewing’ the same old one, which it has kept the world waiting for. 2- Sajjad’s brave warning of the dangers threatening those supporting Sakineh and her family in Iran, such as their lawyer, Hootan Kian, should be emphasized and taken very seriously.
ICAS, ICAE, Mission Free Iran, and Iran Solidarity hereby bring the above life-threatening new developments to the attention of the governments as well as the people of world, and pledge to continue campaigning until the regime’s new plots have been thwarted.
International Committee Against Stoning (www.stopstonning.com)
International Committee Against Execution (www.notonemoreexecution.org)
August 29, 2010
Video and translation provided by PR for Personal Rights.
Video disseminated by http://missionfreeiran.org for the Campaign to Save Sakineh Ashtiani.
August 29, 2010
On the occasion of the 100 Cities Around the World Against Stoning protests, 22-year old Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, Sakineh Ashtiani’s son, made a direct call to Mina Ahadi, the spokesperson for the International Committee Against Stoning (ICAS) and the International Committee Against Execution (ICAE). In his call, Sajjad addressed the crowd at the demonstration and thanked the world for their support. He said that the Islamic Republic regime was telling lies about their mother's guilt, and had ransacked her lawyer's office at his home and stole documents relevant to her case. It should be recognized that reaching out to the world in this manner and speaking against the regime puts Sajjad at grave risk of retribution by the regime.
The English translation of Sajjad's message is as follows:
"Greetings to all you who are participating in our mother’s demonstration and are carrying placards and her pictures. I would like to say that we love you all very much, and I sincerely thank you for your generous, kind attention. I also want to say that the official statement issued minutes ago by the Human Rights of the Judiciary concerning our mother’s case is totally false. We have found out that my mother’s murder file [that is, the case in which someone else had confessed to murdering Sakineh’s husband] is now missing. The Islamic Republic has been tampering with the file. Also, I’m sad to say, they raided the house of Mr. Kian, our lawyer, sometime this week and took all of our mother’s documents in his office. They also took his laptop computer and some other items of his belongings. [Or] they go to our mother, beat her, and then say to her: you must come on television and say these things. We want the whole world to help us in this ordeal. The lives of all those who are supporting us in Iran, such as Mr. Kian, our lawyer, are in danger. I thank you all, once again."
Two points in Sajjad’s call demand further clarification and emphasis: 1- The statement by the ‘Human Rights of the Judiciary’ he refers to is an official Statement issued by the High Council of Human Rights of the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran on August 28 (http://irna.com/html/1389/13890606/216498.htm). The statement, obviously issued under international pressure, and on the same day that the 100 Cities Around the World Against Stoning global protest was being held, starts off by complaining about ‘the taking position of the authorities [of other countries], international bodies, and some state and non-state media on the legal and judicial matters of countries,’ and goes on to catalogue a whole host of lies about Sakineh Ashtiani and the previous process of reviewing her case. What Sajjad said about his mother’s now-missing murder charge file, stealing the documents relevant to her case from her lawyer’s home, and the regime’s tampering with the case is, indeed, alarming. These developments clearly point to the regime’s efforts to fabricate a new case against Sakineh instead of ‘carefully reviewing’ the same old one, which it has kept the world waiting for. 2- Sajjad’s brave warning of the dangers threatening those supporting Sakineh and her family in Iran, such as their lawyer, Hootan Kian, should be emphasized and taken very seriously.
ICAS, ICAE, Mission Free Iran, and Iran Solidarity hereby bring the above life-threatening new developments to the attention of the governments as well as the people of world, and pledge to continue campaigning until the regime’s new plots have been thwarted.
International Committee Against Stoning (www.stopstonning.com)
International Committee Against Execution (www.notonemoreexecution.org)
August 29, 2010
Video and translation provided by PR for Personal Rights.
Video disseminated by http://missionfreeiran.org for the Campaign to Save Sakineh Ashtiani.
Saturday, 28 August 2010
Thousands came out in over 100 cities
PR No. 55
August 28, 2010
August 28, 2010, registered as a historic day in the struggle against the barbarism of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Today, August 28, thousands of citizens in 32 countries came out in response to the call by the International Committee Against Stoning, the International Committee Against Execution, Mission Free Iran, and Iran Solidarity. The call was to demand the immediate freedom of Sakineh Ashtiani and all others condemned to stoning, as well as to protest the barbaric cruelty of the regime of Islamic Republic, specifically the medieval punishment of stoning.
The early news of today’s rallies around the world indicates that the call to action has been widely responded to - unprecedented in the similar category of international callouts. Citizens have come out in over 100 cities, carrying posters of Sakineh and others condemned to be stoned, listening to several speakers from different parties and organizations, and chanting slogans. At the end the rallies held so far, the Statement of the demonstration (see Appendix) has been confirmed by the participants with clapping or signing.
The Statement points to examples of 31 years of crime by the Islamic regime, from genocidal massacre of political prisoners to enforcing the pre-medieval Sharia (doctrinal) law, which, among other barbaric punishments, prescribes stoning for the ‘crime’ of adultery. The Statement goes on to demand: the immediate and unconditional release of Sakineh Ashtiani and all others condemned to stoning; the abolition as well as criminalization of stoning worldwide; not recognizing the Islamic Republic as the government of Iran, and expelling it from all international bodies; the trial by international courts of the leaders of the regime for 31 years of crime against humanity.
Hundreds of TV networks, radio stations and newspapers covered the news of the international day before the event. Several of them included in their coverage interviews with the leaders and activists of the campaign. The early news indicate that so far today the media has given the rallies wide coverage - some of them live and with interviews.
Post cards have been presented to the participants to buy and mail to the Secretary General of UN asking for Ahmadinejad not to let in the UN General Assembly session in September.
August 28 was thus made into a historic day of world protest against stoning, in particular, and the barbarism of the Islamic Republic, in general – a day on which the foundation was laid for wider solidarity with the people of Iran in order to bring down the vile Islamic regime.
We salute all the organizers of today’s international event as well as all those who participated in them, including personages, organizations and the media. We will gradually make available reports, photos and footages of the rallies.
Further, we hereby declare that our fight against stoning and the regime of stoning in Iran took a great step forward today, and thus put the people of Iran as well as the world in a more advantageous position to further the struggle. On this day, we proudly declare that we shall most resolutely continue this fight until Sakineh Ashtiani all those sentenced to stoning have been unconditionally freed, until stoning has been abolished around the world, until all criminal laws of the Islamic Republic have been complete revoked, and, indeed, until the regime itself has been brought down. This regime has been founded, and survived, on human blood shed by means of terror: from policing the people’s private lives in the most brutal ways to jailing, flogging, raping, torturing, executing (including minors, gays and lesbians), assassinating, massacring political prisoners, stoning, mutilating people in accordance with the pre-medieval, tribal Islamic Sharia law, …the list is almost endless in criminality. Such a terrorist regime must be brought down. We proudly declare that we shall continue the struggle most resolutely until this has been achieved.
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
August 29, 2010
Appendix:
The Statement of the protest action of August 28, 2010 by
100 Cities Around the World Against Stoning
On August 28, 2010 one hundred cities around the world are rising up to protest the barbaric practice of stoning, as well as to save the life of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani in Iran. This day will be recorded in the annals of humanity as a manifestation of the protest, during the prior weeks, by millions of people across the globe against stoning as the most heinous form of medieval cruelty. It is a disgrace to humanity that, at the close of the first decade of the twenty-first century, stoning is still practiced in Iran and similar Islam-stricken countries. We, the citizens of 100 cities, hereby unequivocally declare that this blot must be removed from the face of humanity immediately and permanently.
On this day we also protest against the regime of stoning in Iran. This regime has, during the 31 years of its existence, committed genocide, established a system of sexual apartheid in Iran, and made imprisonment, execution, torture, rape of political prisoners, and the rule of pre-medieval Islamic Sharia the law of the land. Such a regime is not the representative of the people of Iran. It is their murderer, and its leaders must be brought to trial before international tribunals for their crimes against humanity.
Further, the international protest of August 28 is yet another manifestation of the solidarity of people around the world with the people of Iran, who have heroically risen up to bring down the regime of stoning, the Islamic code of punishment (Qesaas), hijab, torture, and execution. We, the citizens of 100 cities worldwide, proudly declare that we consider ourselves the standard bearers of the universal front of humanity against barbarity. We support the struggles of the people of Iran against one of the cruellest regimes in the history of humankind. We, therefore, emphatically declare, on behalf of the world’s civilized humanity, that the path to the liberation of the Iranian people will not pass through threats or military action against the country but through the removal of the regime of the Islamic Republic by the power of the struggles of people in Iran and across the world.
The following are our common demands on August 28, 2010 throughout 100 cities of the world:
1- The immediate and unconditional freedom of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and all other prisoners in Iran sentenced to be stoned to death.
2- The abolition of stoning in Iran and elsewhere. We demand that the United Nations urgently adopt a specific resolution forbidding stoning as an inhuman punishment all over the world.
3- Not recognizing the Islamic regime of stoning in Iran as the government of that country and, thus, banning it from all international bodies.
4- Bringing to trial the perpetrators of stoning. Stoning is one of the most abominable forms of crime against humanity. Any individual, group, organization or state executing the punishment of stoning must be prosecuted and tried by international tribunals.
We continue our struggles until we have achieved all of these demands. As an immediate, primary step to that end, we demand that Mahmood Ahmadinejad, the president of the regime of stoning, be stopped from entering the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 2010.
August 28, 2010
August 28, 2010, registered as a historic day in the struggle against the barbarism of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Today, August 28, thousands of citizens in 32 countries came out in response to the call by the International Committee Against Stoning, the International Committee Against Execution, Mission Free Iran, and Iran Solidarity. The call was to demand the immediate freedom of Sakineh Ashtiani and all others condemned to stoning, as well as to protest the barbaric cruelty of the regime of Islamic Republic, specifically the medieval punishment of stoning.
The early news of today’s rallies around the world indicates that the call to action has been widely responded to - unprecedented in the similar category of international callouts. Citizens have come out in over 100 cities, carrying posters of Sakineh and others condemned to be stoned, listening to several speakers from different parties and organizations, and chanting slogans. At the end the rallies held so far, the Statement of the demonstration (see Appendix) has been confirmed by the participants with clapping or signing.
The Statement points to examples of 31 years of crime by the Islamic regime, from genocidal massacre of political prisoners to enforcing the pre-medieval Sharia (doctrinal) law, which, among other barbaric punishments, prescribes stoning for the ‘crime’ of adultery. The Statement goes on to demand: the immediate and unconditional release of Sakineh Ashtiani and all others condemned to stoning; the abolition as well as criminalization of stoning worldwide; not recognizing the Islamic Republic as the government of Iran, and expelling it from all international bodies; the trial by international courts of the leaders of the regime for 31 years of crime against humanity.
Hundreds of TV networks, radio stations and newspapers covered the news of the international day before the event. Several of them included in their coverage interviews with the leaders and activists of the campaign. The early news indicate that so far today the media has given the rallies wide coverage - some of them live and with interviews.
Post cards have been presented to the participants to buy and mail to the Secretary General of UN asking for Ahmadinejad not to let in the UN General Assembly session in September.
August 28 was thus made into a historic day of world protest against stoning, in particular, and the barbarism of the Islamic Republic, in general – a day on which the foundation was laid for wider solidarity with the people of Iran in order to bring down the vile Islamic regime.
We salute all the organizers of today’s international event as well as all those who participated in them, including personages, organizations and the media. We will gradually make available reports, photos and footages of the rallies.
Further, we hereby declare that our fight against stoning and the regime of stoning in Iran took a great step forward today, and thus put the people of Iran as well as the world in a more advantageous position to further the struggle. On this day, we proudly declare that we shall most resolutely continue this fight until Sakineh Ashtiani all those sentenced to stoning have been unconditionally freed, until stoning has been abolished around the world, until all criminal laws of the Islamic Republic have been complete revoked, and, indeed, until the regime itself has been brought down. This regime has been founded, and survived, on human blood shed by means of terror: from policing the people’s private lives in the most brutal ways to jailing, flogging, raping, torturing, executing (including minors, gays and lesbians), assassinating, massacring political prisoners, stoning, mutilating people in accordance with the pre-medieval, tribal Islamic Sharia law, …the list is almost endless in criminality. Such a terrorist regime must be brought down. We proudly declare that we shall continue the struggle most resolutely until this has been achieved.
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
August 29, 2010
Appendix:
The Statement of the protest action of August 28, 2010 by
100 Cities Around the World Against Stoning
On August 28, 2010 one hundred cities around the world are rising up to protest the barbaric practice of stoning, as well as to save the life of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani in Iran. This day will be recorded in the annals of humanity as a manifestation of the protest, during the prior weeks, by millions of people across the globe against stoning as the most heinous form of medieval cruelty. It is a disgrace to humanity that, at the close of the first decade of the twenty-first century, stoning is still practiced in Iran and similar Islam-stricken countries. We, the citizens of 100 cities, hereby unequivocally declare that this blot must be removed from the face of humanity immediately and permanently.
On this day we also protest against the regime of stoning in Iran. This regime has, during the 31 years of its existence, committed genocide, established a system of sexual apartheid in Iran, and made imprisonment, execution, torture, rape of political prisoners, and the rule of pre-medieval Islamic Sharia the law of the land. Such a regime is not the representative of the people of Iran. It is their murderer, and its leaders must be brought to trial before international tribunals for their crimes against humanity.
Further, the international protest of August 28 is yet another manifestation of the solidarity of people around the world with the people of Iran, who have heroically risen up to bring down the regime of stoning, the Islamic code of punishment (Qesaas), hijab, torture, and execution. We, the citizens of 100 cities worldwide, proudly declare that we consider ourselves the standard bearers of the universal front of humanity against barbarity. We support the struggles of the people of Iran against one of the cruellest regimes in the history of humankind. We, therefore, emphatically declare, on behalf of the world’s civilized humanity, that the path to the liberation of the Iranian people will not pass through threats or military action against the country but through the removal of the regime of the Islamic Republic by the power of the struggles of people in Iran and across the world.
The following are our common demands on August 28, 2010 throughout 100 cities of the world:
1- The immediate and unconditional freedom of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and all other prisoners in Iran sentenced to be stoned to death.
2- The abolition of stoning in Iran and elsewhere. We demand that the United Nations urgently adopt a specific resolution forbidding stoning as an inhuman punishment all over the world.
3- Not recognizing the Islamic regime of stoning in Iran as the government of that country and, thus, banning it from all international bodies.
4- Bringing to trial the perpetrators of stoning. Stoning is one of the most abominable forms of crime against humanity. Any individual, group, organization or state executing the punishment of stoning must be prosecuted and tried by international tribunals.
We continue our struggles until we have achieved all of these demands. As an immediate, primary step to that end, we demand that Mahmood Ahmadinejad, the president of the regime of stoning, be stopped from entering the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 2010.
The Statement of the protest action of August 28, 2010 - 100 Cities Around the World Against Stoning
On August 28, 2010 one hundred cities around the world are rising up to protest the barbaric practice of stoning, as well as to save the life of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani in Iran. This day will be recorded in the annals of humanity as a manifestation of the protest, during the prior weeks, by millions of people across the globe against stoning as the most heinous form of medieval cruelty. It is a disgrace to humanity that, at the close of the first decade of the twenty-first century, stoning is still practiced in Iran and similar Islam-stricken countries. We, the citizens of 100 cities, hereby unequivocally declare that this blot must be removed from the face of humanity immediately and permanently.
On this day we also protest against the regime of stoning in Iran. This regime has, during the 31 years of its existence, committed genocide, established a system of sexual apartheid in Iran, and made imprisonment, execution, torture, rape of political prisoners, and the rule of pre-medieval Islamic Sharia the law of the land. Such a regime is not the representative of the people of Iran. It is their murderer, and its leaders must be brought to trial before international tribunals for their crimes against humanity.
Further, the international protest of August 28 is yet another manifestation of the solidarity of people around the world with the people of Iran, who have heroically risen up to bring down the regime of stoning, the Islamic code of punishment (Qesaas), Hijab, torture, and execution. We, the citizens of 100 cities worldwide, proudly declare that we consider ourselves the standard bearers of the universal front of humanity against barbarity. We support the struggles of the people of Iran against one of the cruelest regimes in the history of humankind. We, therefore, emphatically declare, on behalf of the world’s civilized humanity, that the path to the liberation of the Iranian people will not pass through threats or military action against, the country, but through the removal of the regime of the Islamic Republic by the power of the struggles of people in Iran and across the world.
The following are our common demands on August 28, 2010 throughout 100 cities of the world:
1- The immediate and unconditional freedom of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and all other prisoners in Iran sentenced to be stoned to death.
2- The abolition of stoning in Iran and elsewhere. We demand that the United Nations urgently adopt a specific resolution forbidding stoning as an inhuman punishment all over the world.
3- Not recognizing the Islamic regime of stoning in Iran as the government of that country and, thus, banning it from all international bodies.
4- Bringing to trial the perpetrators of stoning. Stoning is one of the most abominable forms of crime against humanity. Any individual, group, organization or state executing the punishment of stoning must be prosecuted and tried by international tribunals.
We continue our struggles until we have achieved all of these demands. As an immediate, primary step to that end, we demand that Mahmood Ahmadinejad, the president of the regime of stoning, be stopped from entering the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 2010.
International Committee against Executions
International Committee against Stoning
Iran Solidarity
Mission Free Iran
On this day we also protest against the regime of stoning in Iran. This regime has, during the 31 years of its existence, committed genocide, established a system of sexual apartheid in Iran, and made imprisonment, execution, torture, rape of political prisoners, and the rule of pre-medieval Islamic Sharia the law of the land. Such a regime is not the representative of the people of Iran. It is their murderer, and its leaders must be brought to trial before international tribunals for their crimes against humanity.
Further, the international protest of August 28 is yet another manifestation of the solidarity of people around the world with the people of Iran, who have heroically risen up to bring down the regime of stoning, the Islamic code of punishment (Qesaas), Hijab, torture, and execution. We, the citizens of 100 cities worldwide, proudly declare that we consider ourselves the standard bearers of the universal front of humanity against barbarity. We support the struggles of the people of Iran against one of the cruelest regimes in the history of humankind. We, therefore, emphatically declare, on behalf of the world’s civilized humanity, that the path to the liberation of the Iranian people will not pass through threats or military action against, the country, but through the removal of the regime of the Islamic Republic by the power of the struggles of people in Iran and across the world.
The following are our common demands on August 28, 2010 throughout 100 cities of the world:
1- The immediate and unconditional freedom of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and all other prisoners in Iran sentenced to be stoned to death.
2- The abolition of stoning in Iran and elsewhere. We demand that the United Nations urgently adopt a specific resolution forbidding stoning as an inhuman punishment all over the world.
3- Not recognizing the Islamic regime of stoning in Iran as the government of that country and, thus, banning it from all international bodies.
4- Bringing to trial the perpetrators of stoning. Stoning is one of the most abominable forms of crime against humanity. Any individual, group, organization or state executing the punishment of stoning must be prosecuted and tried by international tribunals.
We continue our struggles until we have achieved all of these demands. As an immediate, primary step to that end, we demand that Mahmood Ahmadinejad, the president of the regime of stoning, be stopped from entering the General Assembly of the United Nations in September 2010.
International Committee against Executions
International Committee against Stoning
Iran Solidarity
Mission Free Iran
Friday, 27 August 2010
Mina Ahadi's Open Letter to Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign Minister
Dear Mr. Kouchner,
Sending a letter by the EU members to the Islamic Republic, warning it against killing Sakineh Mahammadi Ashtiani by stoning or by other means, will be an effective measure in saving her life. I hope other EU countries will accept your proposal and act upon it without delay.
Further, as the spokesperson for the International Committee Against Stoning, the International Committee Against Execution and on behalf of the people of Iran, I would like to seize the opportunity to call on your country as well as other EU member countries to condemn the regime of Islamic Republic for all its crimes against humanity. The best support for Sakineh, for all others Sakineh in similar predicaments, and for all the people in Iran is to not recognize this regime as their representative. The best support for them is to break all your diplomatic relations with this regime of stoning and execution. President Sarkozy has recently spoken of exerting more pressure and imposing tougher sanctions on the Iranian regime. As a matter of fact, the way to exert more pressure on it is by no means increased military threats or further economic sanctions but simply isolating it politically.
I hope your government and all other EU countries put the condemnation of the Islamic Republic for its crimes against humanity, as well as its political boycott, high on their agendas as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Mina Ahadi
Spokesperson
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
August 27, 2010
Sending a letter by the EU members to the Islamic Republic, warning it against killing Sakineh Mahammadi Ashtiani by stoning or by other means, will be an effective measure in saving her life. I hope other EU countries will accept your proposal and act upon it without delay.
Further, as the spokesperson for the International Committee Against Stoning, the International Committee Against Execution and on behalf of the people of Iran, I would like to seize the opportunity to call on your country as well as other EU member countries to condemn the regime of Islamic Republic for all its crimes against humanity. The best support for Sakineh, for all others Sakineh in similar predicaments, and for all the people in Iran is to not recognize this regime as their representative. The best support for them is to break all your diplomatic relations with this regime of stoning and execution. President Sarkozy has recently spoken of exerting more pressure and imposing tougher sanctions on the Iranian regime. As a matter of fact, the way to exert more pressure on it is by no means increased military threats or further economic sanctions but simply isolating it politically.
I hope your government and all other EU countries put the condemnation of the Islamic Republic for its crimes against humanity, as well as its political boycott, high on their agendas as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Mina Ahadi
Spokesperson
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
August 27, 2010
Mina Ahadi's Open Letter to Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign Minister
Dear Mr. Kouchner,
Sending a letter by the EU members to the Islamic Republic, warning it against killing Sakineh Mahammadi Ashtiani by stoning or by other means, will be an effective measure in saving her life. I hope other EU countries will accept your proposal and act upon it without delay.
Further, as the spokesperson for the International Committee Against Stoning, the International Committee Against Execution and on behalf of the people of Iran, I would like to seize the opportunity to call on your country as well as other EU member countries to condemn the regime of Islamic Republic for all its crimes against humanity. The best support for Sakineh, for all others Sakineh in similar predicaments, and for all the people in Iran is to not recognize this regime as their representative. The best support for them is to break all your diplomatic relations with this regime of stoning and execution. President Sarkozy has recently spoken of exerting more pressure and imposing tougher sanctions on the Iranian regime. As a matter of fact, the way to exert more pressure on it is by no means increased military threats or further economic sanctions but simply isolating it politically.
I hope your government and all other EU countries put the condemnation of the Islamic Republic for its crimes against humanity, as well as its political boycott, high on their agendas as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Mina Ahadi
Spokesperson
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
August 27, 2010
Sending a letter by the EU members to the Islamic Republic, warning it against killing Sakineh Mahammadi Ashtiani by stoning or by other means, will be an effective measure in saving her life. I hope other EU countries will accept your proposal and act upon it without delay.
Further, as the spokesperson for the International Committee Against Stoning, the International Committee Against Execution and on behalf of the people of Iran, I would like to seize the opportunity to call on your country as well as other EU member countries to condemn the regime of Islamic Republic for all its crimes against humanity. The best support for Sakineh, for all others Sakineh in similar predicaments, and for all the people in Iran is to not recognize this regime as their representative. The best support for them is to break all your diplomatic relations with this regime of stoning and execution. President Sarkozy has recently spoken of exerting more pressure and imposing tougher sanctions on the Iranian regime. As a matter of fact, the way to exert more pressure on it is by no means increased military threats or further economic sanctions but simply isolating it politically.
I hope your government and all other EU countries put the condemnation of the Islamic Republic for its crimes against humanity, as well as its political boycott, high on their agendas as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Mina Ahadi
Spokesperson
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
August 27, 2010
Thursday, 26 August 2010
List of 28 August 2010 100 cities against Stoning
110 cities, 114 events so farAUSTRALIA
Brisbane
Time: 12 midday
Place: Redcliff Place in Brisbane city; Redcliffe Place is also known Brisbane Square and is located by the big silver balls, opposite the casino.
Contact: debcurpryce@hotmail.com
Byron Bay, NSW
Time: 12 noon
Place: Cape Byron Lighthouse
Hobart
Details to follow
Contact: roxycoxy@live.com.au
Sydney
Time: 14.00
Place: QVB, at the Town Hall end (near the statue)
Contact: Kat, katgaf1@gmail.com
AUSTRIA
Vienna
Time: 14.00 -17.00
Place: vor oper ,karajan- plaz 1010 wien
Contact: 06504784638 -06642078391
Vienna
Time: 15:00 - 16:00
Place: Gegenüber der Albertina, Wien "Helmut-Zilk-Platz"
Organiser: Gemeinschaft für Solidarität mit den trauernden Müttern des Laleh-Parks.
BELGIUM
Brussels
Time: 13:00
Place: Palais de Justice, Place Poelaert, 1000 Bruxelles
Contact : National Women Councils ( CFFB and NVR) Viviane Teitelbaum
Brussels
Time: 15.00
Place: Avenue F.D. Roosevelt 15 1050 Bruxelles (Ixelles) in front of Iranian embassy
Contact: mailto:Peter Calluy, calluypeter@hotmail.com
Charleroi
Time: 11.00
Place: Hôtel de Ville de Charleroi
Organised by : La Ligue du Droit International des Femmes, Hocrint (organisation against "honour" crimes and forced mariage), Synergie-Wallonie des femmes and CFFB, Conseil des Femmes francophones de Belgique.
Contact: Anne-marie Lizin www.lizin.org
La Louvière
Time: 9.00 -11.00 am
Place: Marcket (Marché)
Organised by : FGTB Centre, CSC Mons-La Louvière, Cepré, Ligue des droits de l'homme, Parti communiste, Pour que vive la démocratie, Femmes prévoyantes socialistes, Médecine pour le peuple, la Braise.
Zottegem
Time: 14.00
Place: In the town hall (het stadhuis)of zottegem
Contact: Mayor Mr Herman De Loor,
09 364 64 51
BRAZIL
Alfenas, Minas Gerais
Details to follow
Time:
Place:
Contact:
Campinas, SãoPaulo
Details to follow
Time:
Place:
Contact:
Porto Alegre
Time: 16:00
Place: Esquina Democrática – Av. Borges de Medeiros X Rua dos Andradas
Contact: LiHS – lihsbrasil@gmail.com
Tres Pontas, Minas Gerais
Details to follow
CANADA
Hamilton, Ontario
Time: 14.00-16.00
Place: Front of Jackson Square mall
Contact: Amir Zahedi, 905-962-9638
Montreal
Time: 17.00 – 19.00
Place: Des Artes (St. Cathrine and Jeanne Mance)
Niagara Falls
Time: 14:00-16:00
Place: Just beside the Falls
Contact: Mehran Mahbobi, 1 647 274 7149
Mehranmahbobi1917@gmail.com
Peterborough, Ontario
Time: The march will start at 2 p.m. on the steps of City Hall, go through downtown, and end in front of the Superior Courthouse at 3 p.m.
Co-Organizer: Jane Campbell, with federal Liberal candidate Betsy McGregor.
Ottawa
Time: 12.00-14.00
Place: In front of Parliament Hill
Contact: D Aram, 613-859-7929, d_aram@sympatico.ca
Toronto
Time: 13.00-16.00
Place: 250 Front Street West (in front of CBC)
Contact: Yadi Mahmodi, 416 726 9321; wpicanada@yahoo.com
Vancouver
Time: Rally at 17.00 (information table at 15.00)
Place: In front of Art Gallery on Robson St.
Contact: Zari Asli, zariasli@yahoo.ca
Victoria
Time: 16.00-18.00
Place: Douglas & Fort in front of Royal bank
Contact: Abbas Mohamadi
abbas@cawvidc.bc.ca
DENMARK
Copenhagen
Time: 14.00-16.00
Place: Glentevej-Vibevej, Copenhagen NV
Contact: Pedram Kazemi-Esfarjani, docpedram@googlemail.com
FINLAND
Tampere
Time: 14.00
Place: Tampereen Keskustori
Contact: Abdol Golparian, 040575825, abdolgolparian1@gmail.com
FRANCE
Besançon
Time: 15.00
Place: Place du 8 Septembre
Contact: cgt.addsea@gmail.com
Dijon
Time: 11.00
Place: RDV Francois RUDE, 21 000 Dijon
Contact : Sara Horchani from organization: Association Libertés-Culture
sarahorchani@yahoo.fr
Facebook : Sara Horchani
Le Mans
Time: 15.00
Place: Place de la Republique
Contact: infos@niputesnisoumises.com
Lyon
Time: 15.00
Place: Bellecour
This gathering is called by the following organisations : Association Solidarité Franco-Iranienne, Comité Communiste Internationaliste – Trotskiste, Initiative Communiste-Ouvrière, Nouveau Parti Anticapitaliste (NPA), Parti Communiste-Ouvrier d'Iran, Regards de Femmes.
Contact: yadi.j100@free.fr
Montpellier
Time: 11.00
Place: Place de la Comedie
Contact: 0620748012 (Mansoureh)
Narbonne
Time: 11am to 7pm
Place: Esplanade de la Médiathèque
Contact: monique.louicellier@yahoo.com
Paris
Place: Place du Trocadéro
Time: 12:00 noon
Organised by:
La Ligue du droit international des Femmes
Association créée par Simone de Beauvoir (contact: 06 38 39 42 92)
Mouvement Pour la Paix et Contre le Terrorisme (contact 06 66 26 42 23)
Ni Putes Ni Soumises (contact 06 76 49 63 56)
Poitiers
Time: 11.30
Place: On the steps of City Hall
Organizer: Mayor of Poitiers
Tolouse
Time: 15.00
Place: Place du Capitole
Contact: chantal.crabere@orange.fr
GEORGIA
Tbilisi
Time:
Place: Opposite the Embassy of the Islamic Republic
Contact: Tiko, tinatin.j@gmail.com
GERMANY
Augsburg
Time: 14.00
Adress: Elias - Holl - Platz
Contact: 0176-3241096257
Berlin
Time: 14.00
Place: Joachimstaler Platz, UB- Kurfürsten Damm
Contact: Farzaneh Deraxshan, 017624866317, farzaneh52@gmail.com
Berlin
Time: 17.00
Place: Breitscheidplatz/Kurfürstendamm 11
Contact: Code e.V., info@code-ev.com
Bremen
Time: 14.00
Place: Stadtzentrum - Marktplatz
Contact: Siamak Maki 0172-4037035, siamakmaki@t-online.de
Darmstadt
Time: 12.00-14.00
Place: Luisenplatz
Contact: Nawid Mohamadi, nawid1@gmx.de
Dortmund
Time: 14.00
Place: Katharinenstr. (gegenüber HBF, Treppen hoch)
Contact: Maryam Jabbarzadeh
01786703944
daryagermany@yahoo.de
Köln (Cologne)
Time: 14.00
Place: Dom Platte
Contact: 0163 5112025
Frankfurt
Time: 16.00
Place: Hauptwache (Zeil) gegenüber Kaufhof
Contact: Shahnaz Morattab
015774650186
shahnaz1@t-online.de
Hamburg
Time: 14.00
Place: Mönckebergstrasse
Ida-Ehre-Platz in front of Karstadt
Contact: 0172-4044323
nazaninborumand@gmail.com
Madaraneirani.hh@gmail.com
Hannover
Time: 14.00
Place: Kröpcke – Stadtzentrum
Organised by Iran Solidarity
Contact: Said Asli
0178 8764749
saidasli@yahoo.de
Krefeld
Time: 14.00
Platz von der Leyen 1, gegenueber Rathaus
Contact:
Leipzig
Time: 14.00
Place: Augustus platz Leipzig(Zentrum)
Contact: 0176 29319819
Mainz
Time: 13.00
Place: Emmeran Str. Ecke Pfandhaus Str. Vor dem Sparda - Bank
Contact: Soheyla 015784493284
Munich
Time: 12.00-14.00
Place: Richard-Strauss-Brunnen Neuhauser Str. 8 (Fussgängerzone)
Organizers: United4Iran-Bayern and Amnesty International München, ‚Irangruppe‘
Contact: Petra, 0176-50728972
Paderborn
Time: 12.00
At: Western Str. Kaufhof
Contact: 01743830478
Ulm
Details to follow
Contac: 0172 7623474
Zwickau
Time: 13.00-15.00
Place: Marien Platz (Dom)
Contact: 01605963711
GREECE
Athens
Time: 18.00
Place: In front of NHCRI
ICELAND
Reykjavik
Details to follow
Contact: hopeful@islandia.is
INDIA
Bangalore
Contact: Ruzbeh Sedaghat/ Arman Ruhipoor 9742569282
roozbehs_111@yahoo.com
Details to follow
IRAQ
Karkuk,
Ahmadaga street
Details to follow
Baghdad
Time: 10.00am
Place: Mutanaby Street
IRELAND
Dublin
Time: 13.00-14.30
Place: GPO O’Connell St.
Contact: Brendan Maher brendanaustin@eircom.net
Waterford
Time: 13.00 -15.00
Place: outside City Square
Contact: Marieke Ryan, ryan_vdzweth@hotmail.com
ISRAEL
Tel Aviv
Time: 7pm
Place: Dina Cafe, Yehuda Hayamit Street 34, Jaffa-Tel-Aviv
Action: We will screen a movie about Iran's executions and ask people to write letters to Sakineh.
Contact info: Elifelet (organizer): 972-523368792; Dina (owner of the cafe): 972-504998416
ITALY
Florence
City of Florence has officially joined the campaign of 100 cities against stoning until this act of barbarism has been abolished
place : the whole city of Florence,The heart of the people of Florence ......
Time August 28 and for ever!
JAPAN
Tokyo
Time: 14.00
Place: United Nations University , Jingumae 5-chome, Shibuya-53 -70
Contact: Jamal saberi jjsaberi@yahoo.co.jp
KENYA
Nairobi
Time: 12:00 - 14:00 Hrs
Venue 1: Kenyatta International Conference Center
Venue 2: University of Nairobi - Taifa Hall
Contact: Ms. Jahwar Amber - Jahwar.amber@secularstudents.org
Call: Boaz Adhengo @ +254 733 867644
NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam
Time: 14.00
Place: Beursplein
Contact: Farshad Hosseini 0663602627
farshadhoseini@yahoo.com
Eindhoven
Details to follow
Groningen
Time: 12.00-16.00
Place: City Centre, around the Herestraat
Contact: daily_dani@hotmail.com
The Hague
Time: 14.00
Place: plein in front of the Parliament
Contact: Bahman Zakernezhad 0649906014
Nigeria
Details to follow
NORWAY
Oslo
Time: 15.00-17.00
Place: In front of the Parliament
Contact: Rahimi, 98694001, rahimi37@yahoo.com
POLAND
Warsaw
Time: 12.00
Place: Next to the Iranian embassy, Warsaw, 22, Aldony street
Contact: Ewa Charkiewicz
phone +48 504926089, ewa_charkiewicz@yahoo.com
Wroclaw
Details to follow
PORTUGAL
Lisbon
Time: 18.00-20.00
Place: Largo do Camões
Contact: arturneves@netcabo.pt eom
Try to see it on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=132064263505288&ref=mf
SPAIN
Barcelona
Time: 18.00-20.00
Place: Plaza Sant Jaume
Contact: Patricia, patycarreiros@gmail.com
SWEDEN
Borås
Time: 14.00-16.00
Place: Stortorget
Contact: 46737598566
Gothenburg
Time: 14.00-16.00
Place: Brunnsparken
Contact: 46708 544 529
Gävle
Time: 14.00 -1600
Gå från Södermalmstorg till Rådhustorget
sen stå på Rådhustorget
Contact: Helena 0702692608 (Ring after 18.00)
Helsingborg
Time: 14.00-15.30
Place: Stortorget
Contact: 0736493215
Hässleholm
Time:
Place: Stortorget
Contact: farhad behrang
0736481740
Karlskrona
Time: 14.00-16.00
Place: Centralen, Ronnebygatan 43 - 47
Contact: 0704531047
Lund
Time: 14.00-16.00
Place: Stortorget
Contact: 0703171102
Malmö
Time: 14.00-16.00
Place: David halls bron, Between Triangeln and Gustav Adolfs Torg
Contact: 0703638088
Norrkoping
Time: 14.00 -16.30
Place: Hörsalsparken-Drottningtorget
Contact: 0736040096
Stockholm
Time: 17.30
Place: Mynttorget, in front of the Parliament
Contact: 0737801510, 070-44 11 075
I Stockholm har vi med oss talare, bland andra EU-ministern Birgitta Ohlsson (FP), kommunfullmäktigekandidaten Tara Twana (S), journalisten och författarinnan Dilsa Demirbag Sten, Sara Mohamad from Never Forget Pela and Fadime Organisation med flera
Uppsala
Time: 14.00 -16.00
Place: Stora torget, Åhlens
Contacts: Mahin Alipour 0707777313, Mehdi Zare 0739754226
Visby
Time: 14.00-16.00
Place: Öster Centrum
Contact: Ahmad Fatemi
0735203817
Örebro
Time: 14.00
Drottninggatan
Contact: Ahmad Fatemi 073 520 3817
SWITZERLAND
Zurich
Details to follow
TURKEY
Ankara
Details to follow
Didim, Aydin
Time: 14.00
Contact: Cigdem Toprak, cigdem.toprak.tud@gmail.com
UK
London
Time: 14.00-16.00
Place: Trafalgar Square, North Terrace (outside the National Gallery)
Contact: Bahram Soroush, 07852338334, bahram.soroush@gmail.com
Birmingham
Time: 13:30
Place: Central Library
Bournemouth/Wimborne
Place: Collecting signatures in Bournemouth and Wimborne ending up at Kingston Lacy House (by the Obelisk in the garden)
Time: Details of earlier signature collections to follow. Kingston Lacy House, 2pm
Contact: Jane, simonfielder@tesco.net
Bradford
Time: 11am
Place: Centenary Square
Contact: Omar Ebrahim, omarinbox@hotmail.com
Glasgow
Time: 2pm
Place: George Square
Contact: theaim@hotmail.co.uk
Liverpool
Time: 12.00-16.00
Place: Bold Street Information Site (located adjacent to the Lyceum bank). Bold Street is adjacent to Liverpool Central Station. There is a station exit to Bold Street.
Contact: Brian, 07515 282952
Manchester
Time: 14.00
Place: Piccadilly Gardens
Contact: 07904951989, soheila@uwclub.net
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Time: 12 noon - 4 p.m.
Place: Grey's Monument
Contact: peter1_243@fsmail.net
Puerto Rico
San Juan
Time: 10am-3:30pm
Place: Old San Juan, by the Cruissess Bay
Contact: Ivonne Santos, 787-596-8383
Richmond, Surrey
Time: 11.30am
Place: Outside Richmond Railway/Underground station, Kew Road, Richmond
St. Albans
Details to follow
USA
Atlanta
Time: 17.00 -18.00
Place: the intersection of Peach tree and Lenox Road
Beverly Hills, California
Details forthcoming.
Contact: Ann Marie Lynch, cell: 631-974-8480, amhoney22@yahoo.com mailto:amhoney22@yahoo.com
Brooklyn, Connecticut
Time: 4-6pm
Place: Intersection of Route 6 and South Main Street
Contact: Deb, debheath86@yahoo.com
Chicago, Illinois
Time: 14.00 – 15.30
Place: Millennium Park
Place: North corner of Jackson entrance to Millenium Park (Jackson and Michigan)
Contact: nwade99@att.net
Dallas
Time: 18.00
Place: downtown, Houston St. & Elm St. Kennedy Museum
Contact: 2146752120
Svafa56@yahoo.com
Atlanta, Georgia
Time: 17.00-18.00
Place: Intersection of Peach Tree and Lenox Road
Contact: People4Iran organization, mzdero@bellsouth.net
Hattiesburg
Time: 11.00-13.00
Place: USM Campus; in front of the Liberal Arts Building
Contact: Meg Hixson megan.hixson@eagles.usm.edu
Houston, Texas
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Place: La Madeleine Coffee Shop Near Gessner
Los Angeles, California
Time: 17.00-19.00
Place: Junction of Santa Monica pier
Organised by: Mourning Mothers of Iran
New York City
Time: All day
Place: Everywhere
Theme: Leaflet day: protesters will leaflet cars, bus stops, newspaper boxes, supermarkets, and similar.
Orlando, Florida
Details to follow
Seattle
Time: 3-5pm
Place: Westlake center Seattle
Contact : Daryoush nostoning@yahoo.com
Washington DC
Time: 14.00
Place: Dupont Circle
Contact: maria.rohaly@gmail.com
Washington DC
Date: August 29
Time: 12 noon
Place: Islamic Republic Offices of the Pakistani Embassy
Contact: Saeed Salehinia, salehinia@aol.com
International Committee Against Stoning (http://stopstonningnow.com)
Iran Solidarity (www.iransolidarity.org.uk)
Mission Free Iran (www.missionfreeiran.com)
International Committee Against Execution (http://notonemoreexecution.org)
Donation by Paypal:
http://countmein-iran.com/donate.html
Sunday, 22 August 2010
What is stoning and who is stoned?
In stoning (‘Rajm’ in Arabic), the accused is made to wear a white sheet and buried in a hole in the ground, males up to their waist and females up to their chest, and then tortured to death by having stones thrown at them.
The stones should not be so big that they kill the victim quickly, but not too small either. The aim is to kill the person gradually with the utmost pain.
During stoning, if the man or woman manages to escape from the hole, they are free to go.
The Islamic Republic of Iran bases its system of justice on Islamic law which demands that having a sexual relationship outside of marriage carries this death sentence.
Farshad Hosseini, who is a member of the International Committees against Stoning and Execution, has researched this subject. According to his statistics, in the last 31 years a minimum of 150 people have been stoned by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Today, at least 22 prisoners are waiting to be stoned. The majority of prisoners condemned to stoning are women. Public opinion in Iran is deeply against these crimes. That is why, in recent years, during stoning or public executions, the government tightens up security on the scene. Those who stone are mainly security forces in civilian clothes.
Today, these barbaric acts are passed as law and carried out in countries under Islamic governments, specifically the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and in Afghanistan by the Taliban. For instance, see Article 83 of the Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Stoning clearly expresses the inhumane nature of the political Islamic movement, its parties and government.
Join us to stop this barbaric act. Join us to stop stoning.
Published by the International Committee against Stoning
August 2010
Translation by Susan Azadeh
The stones should not be so big that they kill the victim quickly, but not too small either. The aim is to kill the person gradually with the utmost pain.
During stoning, if the man or woman manages to escape from the hole, they are free to go.
The Islamic Republic of Iran bases its system of justice on Islamic law which demands that having a sexual relationship outside of marriage carries this death sentence.
Farshad Hosseini, who is a member of the International Committees against Stoning and Execution, has researched this subject. According to his statistics, in the last 31 years a minimum of 150 people have been stoned by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Today, at least 22 prisoners are waiting to be stoned. The majority of prisoners condemned to stoning are women. Public opinion in Iran is deeply against these crimes. That is why, in recent years, during stoning or public executions, the government tightens up security on the scene. Those who stone are mainly security forces in civilian clothes.
Today, these barbaric acts are passed as law and carried out in countries under Islamic governments, specifically the Islamic Republic of Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and in Afghanistan by the Taliban. For instance, see Article 83 of the Penal Code of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Stoning clearly expresses the inhumane nature of the political Islamic movement, its parties and government.
Join us to stop this barbaric act. Join us to stop stoning.
Published by the International Committee against Stoning
August 2010
Translation by Susan Azadeh
Friday, 20 August 2010
Mostafaei’s prejudicial statements and Ashtiani’s children’s counter!
PR No. 47
August 17, 2010
In an interview with the German magazine Spiegel, Monday August 16, Mohammad Mostafaei, Sakine Ashtiani’s lawyer in her stoning, i.e., ‘adultery’, case talked publicly about her husband’s murder case and the probability of her involvement in it. In the interview with the world renowned German paper Mostafaei said, among other things, that Sakineh Ashtiani had drugged her husband [before her accomplice killed him] and thus had a hand in his murder.
Mostafaei’s statements were met with immediate objection of Ashtiani’s children. Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, Sakineh Ashtiani’s son, responded the same day in an interview with the web magazine, Rooz OnLine:
‘There is neither any evidence to prove my mother had a hand in my father’s murder nor has she made any such confession. What the head of the judiciary of Eastern Azerbaijan province has announced [to this effect] is totally false.’
As a matter of fact, as the Farsi original of this PR was under translation into English, Ashtiani’s children, Sajjad and Saeedeh, issued a letter on August 17, released through ICAS at once (in the Farsi original as well as in English simultaneously), in which they have reminded Mostafaei that as early as June 10, 2010, he had been dismissed by their mother, and requested him to therefore stop giving opinions about their mother’s case in the capacity of her lawyer (http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/2378).
As I have been working on this case since two-and-a-half years ago, following its every detail, I deem it necessary to clarify a few points here.
Firstly, it is a fundamental principle that no lawyer in the world is allowed to make public the confidential information contained in any case.
Secondly, what is at stake in the particular case of Sakineh Ashtiani is her very life. Any statement, therefore, that confirms, albeit implicitly, the statement made by Islamic republic’s prosecutor can have a strong negative impact on her fate.
Thirdly, we are in possession of official court documents from Iran proving that the murder case has been tried in a different court where Mohammad Mostafaei was not the defending attorney.
Fourthly, Sakineh Ashtiani was acquitted on the murder charge. But she was convicted, by a different court, of having ‘illegitimate (illicit) relationship’ with two men – a charge different from ‘adultery’ (of a married woman) and therefore, according to Islamic code of punishment, not punishable by stoning. On this account she was sentenced to 99 lashes, which she was given in front of her son, plus 10 years’ imprisonment for ‘disturbing the social peace’ (!). Both cases were thus officially closed. However, at a later date the Province Court of Eastern Azerbaijan in Tabriz reopened Ashtiani’s case, and this time brought the charge of ‘adultery’ against her, asking for the punishment of stoning in accordance with the Shari’a law. In accordance with the new development in the case two-and-a-half years ago, I recommended Ashtiani’s children to contact Mohammad Mostafaei, a well-known defense attorney in ‘adultery’ and child execution cases. They did, and, fortunately, Mostafaei accepted Ashtiani’s case of ‘adultery’.
The Islamic regime in Iran, under immense international pressure opposing Ashtiani’s stoning or hanging sentences, has reopened her husband’s murder case. Desperate for not having any evidence to prove its case, it puts Ashtiani under torture, and later promises her, through the person of Hossein Nobakht, Tabriz Deputy Prosecutor, that if she appears on (the state) television and makes its desired confessions, she will be saved from execution by hanging. The regime thus tries to present Ashtiani to the world as an accomplice in her husband’s murder and thereby prepare the ground for her execution. It goes without saying, therefore, that under such momentous circumstances the statements made to Spiegel by Mohammad Mostafaei have been utterly irresponsible.
We therefore call on Mohammad Mostafaei and all those who express, on various occasions, their opinion on Sakineh Ashtiani’s case to do so with utmost precision and sense of responsibility.
Also, we call on the media to refer to the information available through the ICAS, the International Committee Against Execution (ICAE), the statements made by Ashtiani’s children, and those made by her murder-case lawyer, Hootan Kian.
All the above-mentioned information, as well as the official documents of the regime’s courts, only underline Ashtiani’s innocence of the trumped up murder charge.
Mina Ahadi,
Spokesperson
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
August 17, 2010
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
International Committee against Execution (ICAE)
www.notonemoreexecution.org
International Committee against Stoning (ICAS)
www.stopstonningnow.com
August 17, 2010
In an interview with the German magazine Spiegel, Monday August 16, Mohammad Mostafaei, Sakine Ashtiani’s lawyer in her stoning, i.e., ‘adultery’, case talked publicly about her husband’s murder case and the probability of her involvement in it. In the interview with the world renowned German paper Mostafaei said, among other things, that Sakineh Ashtiani had drugged her husband [before her accomplice killed him] and thus had a hand in his murder.
Mostafaei’s statements were met with immediate objection of Ashtiani’s children. Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, Sakineh Ashtiani’s son, responded the same day in an interview with the web magazine, Rooz OnLine:
‘There is neither any evidence to prove my mother had a hand in my father’s murder nor has she made any such confession. What the head of the judiciary of Eastern Azerbaijan province has announced [to this effect] is totally false.’
As a matter of fact, as the Farsi original of this PR was under translation into English, Ashtiani’s children, Sajjad and Saeedeh, issued a letter on August 17, released through ICAS at once (in the Farsi original as well as in English simultaneously), in which they have reminded Mostafaei that as early as June 10, 2010, he had been dismissed by their mother, and requested him to therefore stop giving opinions about their mother’s case in the capacity of her lawyer (http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/2378).
As I have been working on this case since two-and-a-half years ago, following its every detail, I deem it necessary to clarify a few points here.
Firstly, it is a fundamental principle that no lawyer in the world is allowed to make public the confidential information contained in any case.
Secondly, what is at stake in the particular case of Sakineh Ashtiani is her very life. Any statement, therefore, that confirms, albeit implicitly, the statement made by Islamic republic’s prosecutor can have a strong negative impact on her fate.
Thirdly, we are in possession of official court documents from Iran proving that the murder case has been tried in a different court where Mohammad Mostafaei was not the defending attorney.
Fourthly, Sakineh Ashtiani was acquitted on the murder charge. But she was convicted, by a different court, of having ‘illegitimate (illicit) relationship’ with two men – a charge different from ‘adultery’ (of a married woman) and therefore, according to Islamic code of punishment, not punishable by stoning. On this account she was sentenced to 99 lashes, which she was given in front of her son, plus 10 years’ imprisonment for ‘disturbing the social peace’ (!). Both cases were thus officially closed. However, at a later date the Province Court of Eastern Azerbaijan in Tabriz reopened Ashtiani’s case, and this time brought the charge of ‘adultery’ against her, asking for the punishment of stoning in accordance with the Shari’a law. In accordance with the new development in the case two-and-a-half years ago, I recommended Ashtiani’s children to contact Mohammad Mostafaei, a well-known defense attorney in ‘adultery’ and child execution cases. They did, and, fortunately, Mostafaei accepted Ashtiani’s case of ‘adultery’.
The Islamic regime in Iran, under immense international pressure opposing Ashtiani’s stoning or hanging sentences, has reopened her husband’s murder case. Desperate for not having any evidence to prove its case, it puts Ashtiani under torture, and later promises her, through the person of Hossein Nobakht, Tabriz Deputy Prosecutor, that if she appears on (the state) television and makes its desired confessions, she will be saved from execution by hanging. The regime thus tries to present Ashtiani to the world as an accomplice in her husband’s murder and thereby prepare the ground for her execution. It goes without saying, therefore, that under such momentous circumstances the statements made to Spiegel by Mohammad Mostafaei have been utterly irresponsible.
We therefore call on Mohammad Mostafaei and all those who express, on various occasions, their opinion on Sakineh Ashtiani’s case to do so with utmost precision and sense of responsibility.
Also, we call on the media to refer to the information available through the ICAS, the International Committee Against Execution (ICAE), the statements made by Ashtiani’s children, and those made by her murder-case lawyer, Hootan Kian.
All the above-mentioned information, as well as the official documents of the regime’s courts, only underline Ashtiani’s innocence of the trumped up murder charge.
Mina Ahadi,
Spokesperson
International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
August 17, 2010
Email: minaahadi@aol.com
Tel: 0049 (0) 1775692413
International Committee against Execution (ICAE)
www.notonemoreexecution.org
International Committee against Stoning (ICAS)
www.stopstonningnow.com
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