International Day Against Stoning

The Stoning Of Soroya M., 2008 - Based on a true story.

This Sunday, 11th July is International Day Against Stoning.

In such 'advanced' times as those in which we are supposedly living, such a thing still needs to exist? There is still a movement trying to end stoning as a form of capital punishment? Such practises STILL occur?

Yes. They do. I have known for a long time that this is the case but I still can't quite believe it. Of course that is a luxury that many women do not have - not believing it to be the case.

This Sunday, 11th July is International Day Against Stoning.

I have to keep saying it to remind myself that this is actually real, in this day and age of so-called civilisation.

Stoning as a form of punishment and execution will be familiar to most of us from the stories and tales within the three main holy books. The majority of nations and religions have evolved and moved past using this although the death penalty does still exist in other forms. Within the last decade a number of Muslim countries have handed down and carried out sentences of stoning as part of Islamic Sharia Law. In Iran 3 people were stoned to death in 2006/07 and 9 women and 2 men have been sentenced to death by stoning since January 2008. In Somalia in October 2008 Aisho Ibrahim Dhuhulow was buried up to her neck and stoned to death in front or over 1000 people at a football stadium having earlier pled guilty to adultery. It was later found that she was 13 years old. Stoning is also known to be used as a method of execution both with and without trial in Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Nigeria and United Arab Emirates. When stoning a person 'the stones used must be large enough to cause the condemned pain, but not sufficient to kill immediately.' For more information about the ins and outs of Sharia Law and the punishments prescribed under it please have a look through this very disturbing English translation of The Islamic Penal Code of Iran.

This Sunday, 11th July is International Day Against Stoning.

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is a 43 year old Iranian mother of two. She was sentenced to death by stoning for the 'crime' of adultery. International governments, campaigners and activists have fought against this sentence and the Islamic Republic of Iran has announced that she will no longer be stoned for her crime. This is not a victory however as she will now likely be hanged instead. The AIM is one of the many organisations that has petitioned against the sentence, and we will continue to do so. We will continue in the struggle against this barbaric and cruel practice until the battle is won.

This Sunday, 11th July is International Day Against Stoning.

To mark this day, please join us in some kind of protest or act of solidarity. Below I have listed details of a number of planned protests but list is not comprehensive so please look up details in your area. If there is nothing planned in your area it is not too late to plan one. Instead of a rally or protest you may wish to perform your own act of solidarity. Be creative and do whatever feels right to you based on the circumstances you are in but be sure to share your act of solidarity with the world. Take pictures or film it and please send it to us to share on our site, or to our friends and fellow activists at Mission Free Iran. Some examples of things you might do are to recite a poem or perform a song to the camera, publish a piece of writing on the subject, lay a stone somewhere with a message of support, have friends, family and passers by write messages of support and lay them held down with stones. Write the names of recent victims of stoning and those currently facing death by stoning on stones and lay them in solidarity. Go to a public place and hold up a sign or picture. Hand out leaflets or petitions.

Whatever you do, please do something. I am against the death penalty in all cases and carried out in any way, but I find the act of stoning a person to death to be particularly cruel, and it is made even more so by it's method of application. It is often applied without fair trial, sometimes even without a trial at all, and is commonly used for such 'crimes' as adultery, homosexuality and political dissent.

This Sunday, 11th July is International Day Against Stoning. Please, do something.

Planned events:

LONDON, England: Friday July 9, 5pm-8pm outside the Islamic Republic Embassy, 16 Prince’s Gate, London SW7 1PT. Organized by Iran Solidarity UK.

MALMO, Sweden: Friday July 9, 4:30pm at Davidshalls Bro. Organised by IS, International Federation of Iranian Refugees, and Committee for the Defence of Women’s Rights in Iran. Contact: Hasan Salehi +46 703171102 or Farideh Arman +46 703638088.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden: Friday July 9, 4:30pm at Sergelstorg. Organized by Iran Solidarity Sweden.

LONDON, England: Saturday July 10, 2pm Trafalgar Square: Caravan through London against stoning in Iran. We will be meeting at 2pm on Trafalgar Square to do a stone-in act and then move towards other points in London staging more stone-in acts to raise awareness of Sakine’s sentence. Contact: iransolidarityuk@gmail.com or call 07507978745.

BEVERLY HILLS CALIFORNIA, United States: Sunday July 11, 12pm-3pm on the north side of Santa Monica Blvd and Beverly Drive on the side with the grass and park. Contact: Ann Marie Lynch, cell: 631-974-8480, amhoney22@yahoo.com.

SYDNEY, Australia: CAN NO LONGER CONFIRM

WASHINGTON DC, United States: Sunday July 11, 12pm-1:30pm outside Islamic Republic’s Interests Section of the Pakistani Embassy (2209 Wisconsin Ave NW) to protest against stoning and execution and in remembrance of 18 Tir. We will then move to the Lincoln Memorial for a 2pm protest against ideas propagated by Hizb ut-Tahrir America, the American branch of a multinational organization that promotes the practice of stoning generally and promotes the practice of stoning specifically as a solution to the global AIDS epidemic. (blog post | Facebook event). Organized by WPI, REAL Courage and Mission Free Iran.