Iran: Woman's stoning sentence on hold

[mike r]

Source: CNN

Iran has put the stoning sentence of a woman convicted of adultery and murder "on hold," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told state-run Press TV on Wednesday.

While the statement did not differ greatly from previous, sometimes contradictory reports from the Iranian government about the fate of the woman, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, it did indicate continued attention to the murder aspect of her case.

"The sentencing of Ms. Ashtiani for adultery has been stopped and (her case) is being reviewed again, and her sentencing for complicity in murder is in process," Mehmanparast said.

Ashtiani was convicted of adultery in 2006 and sentenced to death by stoning, but her son and human rights activists urged help for her this summer, prompting an international outcry.



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/09/08/iran.stoning/

[Warpy]

1. She might or might not be guilty of complicity in murder

but stoning a human being to death is savage and should have been left behind in the first millennium BCE.

Whether or not she's guilty of anything, they will likely execute her to save face and the best the world can hope for is a quicker and less savage death.

[leftynyc]

2. It's simply mind boggling

that it took the shame of the world's attention to have iran "review again" the sentence of stoning a woman to death.