The Execution Of Shahla Jahed

Shahla Jahed was executed today in Evin prison by the Islamic Republic of Iran. She was found guilty in 2002 of the murder of the primary wife of her footballer husband based what is widely believed to have been a forced confession which she later retracted.

Shahla was hanged this morning at 5am in the presence of the victim's family who declined to save her life by pardoning her.

For more information on this please see blogs from Iran Solidarity and Death Penalty News, and news articles from Reuters, BBC News and The Guardian.

Please continue to support the struggle against the death penalty and against Sharia and religious laws.

AIM Against Stoning

This Saturday thousands of people in more than 100 cities all around the world will come together against stoning, and The AIM will be among them.

In Glasgow, AIM HQ have organised a rally starting at 2pm and are planning to talk about the reality of stoning, give information and leaflets to passersby and gather signatures so end stoning, save Sakineh, and remove Iran from the UN Commission On The Status Of Women.

Our newest supporter Olive Green has painted 2 banners for us to use and we are also looking forward to some great video footage courtesy of a shiny new AIM video camera (well actually it belongs to Lilith but I am pretty sure she'll let us borrow it quite alot lol)

In Niagara Falls, Canada AIM members Coffy and Dee will be attending a rally and will also be representing The AIM as one of the guest speakers. Coffy and Dee are very active in their area and often take part in rallies and protests so we feel there is no one better to to speak on behalf of us all to the people of Niagara.

It was also recently arranged that AIM Puerto Rico will also be on the streets on Saturday taking a stand against stoning. AIM member Mother Justice and a local activist called Ivonne will meet in San Juan and speak to people about stoning. They have posters and other materials and we look forward to seeing some pictures and maybe some video footage of the first ever protest in Puerto Rico with an AIM presence!

Anyone who has some free time on Saturday is encouraged to take part in an event. If there is not one near you it is not too late to organise one. All you need is a petition, maybe some fliers or posters (available here), a picture of Sakineh perhaps, and if you can find anyone willing then someone to do it with you. It doesn't need to be big to make a difference. I have been to rallies with hundreds of people and also protests with just 2. Both work in different ways, but equally. If you want to do something and would like some support to do so then just email us and we'll help out as much as possible.

Artwork © Olive Green. All Rights Reserved.

Global Day Of Protests Against Mass Executions In Iran

The AIM will be protesting in Glasgow on 5th August in support of Mission Free Iran. Please attend a protest in your area, or organise one yourself. This can be as small and simple as meeting a friend and holding a sign. Remember to take pictures to share with the world your stand against executions in Iran and worldwide. For more information, and for campaign materials (coming soon) please visit the MFI blog.

Anyone not able to attend a protest can still show their support of the campaign by recording and posting a 30 second video clip or even taking a photograph of yourself holding campaign materials. If you plan to hold an event near you please get in touch with The AIM or Mission Free Iran so the details can be published.

Advocate for Sakineh's Lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei

We have recently learned that the sister and brother-in-law of Mohammad Mostafaei, Sakineh's lawyer, have been detained and are being held until Mohammad Mostafaei hands himself in to The Iranian Authorities. The latest news is that he has now been detained but we have not been able to confirm this yet. In any case he and his family are in danger as are Sakineh and her children (her son has not been heard from for a number of days). Please copy and paste the following 2 letters (via Mission Free Iran) and email contacts and send them to ask that Foreign embassies, Bar Associations and Law Schools so what they can to ensure the safety of Mohammad Mostafaei and his family. All he is guilty of is trying to ensure a fair trial and sentence for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. Please also sign this petition.

Target: Foreign Ministries/US State Department

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you with an urgent request that you intervene with the authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, who continue to harass, intimidate and persecute Mohammad Mostafaei, and have issued a warrant for his arrest, in the wake of the international outcry demanding freedom for his client, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. The regime has also taken as hostages Mostafaei's wife and brother-in-law (Fereshteh and Farhad Halimi), imprisoning them in a craven attempt to force Mostafaei to turn himself in.

Mohammad Mostafaei is a lawyer who has honorably and courageously defended Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani against a stoning execution in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The worldwide outcry against the execution of Sakineh Ashtiani has created embarrassment and political difficulties for the Islamic Republic, and they have harassed and attempted to intimidate Mr. Mostafaei in an effort to reduce the pressure on the regime that has been caused by the campaign for Mostafaei's client Ashtiani.

I condemn the reprehensible injustice of the Islamic Republic; the regime should not be allowed a free hand to silence Mostafaei and terrorize his family in this way. Iranian lawyers must be free to represent their clients without fear of harassment and intimidation of themselves or their loved ones. I therefore demand immediate and unconditional freedom of Mostafaei's family; immediate and unconditional guarantee for Mostafaei's safety and freedom of practicing his legal obligations towards his clients; immediate end to harassment and intimidation of Mostafaei, his family, friends, and colleagues; and immediate and unconditional freedom for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is solely responsible for the safety and freedom of Mr. Mostafaei.

Diplomatic sanctions, including travel bans, freezing of bank accounts, and expulsion from international organizations such as the UN must be used to force the Islamic Republic to comply with international law and standards of human rights. I expect this government to take immediate steps to implement serious diplomatic sanctions against the criminal regime of the Islamic Republic.

Sincerely,

[your name]

Addresses of Foreign Ministries: (note: for some people, including the commas results in failure to send; if you have difficulties sending mail, try removing the commas)

npillay@ohchr.org, michael.spindelegger@bmeia.gv.at, kab.bz@diplobel.fed.be, info@mvp.gov.ba, iprd@mfa.government.bg, ministar@mvpei.hr, minforeign1@mfa.gov.cy, podatelna@mzv.cz, udenrigsministeren@um.dk, vminfo@vm.ee, umi@formin.fi, bernard.kouchner@diplomatie.gouv.fr, inform@mfa.gov.ge, guido.westerwelle@auswaertiges-amt.de, gpapandreou@parliament.gr, titkarsag.konz@kum.hu, external@utn.stjr.is, minister@dfa.ie, gabinetto@cert.esteri.it, segreteria.frattini@esteri.it, urm@urm.lt, tonio.borg@gov.mt, secdep@mfa.md, m.verhagen@minbuza.nl, post@mfa.no, DNZPC.Sekretariat@msz.gov.pl, senec@mne.gov.pt, pm@pm.gov.pt, miguel.moratinos@maec.es, registrator@foreign.ministry.se, info@eda.admin.ch, turkcons.london@mfa.gov.tr, urgent-action@ohchr.org, Iran_team@amnesty.org

Request Bar Associations and Law Schools to Advocate for Mostafaei

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to you with an urgent request that your organization issue a formal statement condemning the Islamic Republic of Iran for harassment, persecution, and issuance of a warrant to arrest Mohammad Mostafaei, the Iranian human rights lawyer who has honorably and courageously defended Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani against a stoning execution in Iran.

Sakineh Ashtiani is the 43-year-old Iranian mother of two who was accused of the non-crime of adultery, found guilty despite lack of evidence and denial of the charges, lashed 99 times in front of her teen-aged son, and has spent 5 years in prison. She was later retried for the same non-crime; again, despite lack of any evidence and despite the refusal of 2 of the 5 judges in her case to find her guilty, she was sentenced to death by stoning. Her children, with the help of Mostafaei, launched a global campaign to try to win their mothers’ freedom.
The worldwide outcry against the execution of Sakineh Ashtiani has created embarrassment and political difficulties for the Islamic Republic, and they have harassed and attempted to intimidate Mr. Mostafaei in an effort to reduce the pressure on the regime that has been caused by the campaign for Mostafaei’s client Ashtiani. The regime took as hostages Mostafaei’s wife and brother-in-law (Fereshteh and Farhad Halimi), imprisoning them in a craven attempt to force Mostafaei to turn himself in.

We now hear disturbing rumours that Mostafaei has been arrested. Whether he is arrested or still in hiding, the Islamic Republic should be forced to comply with international social and legal standards in granting Mr. Mustafaei human and professional rights, and allowing him the freedom to fulfill his obligations towards his clients. The Islamic Republic of Iran is solely responsible for Mr. Mostafaei’s safety.

Mr. Mostafaei deserves the support of his colleagues in the legal profession, in the form of a public and formal condemnation of the reprehensible injustice of the Islamic Republic. The Islamic Republic should not be allowed a free hand to silence Mostafaei and terrorize his family in this way. Iranian lawyers must be free to represent their clients without fear of harassment and intimidation of themselves or their loved ones.

I therefore request that your organization issue a public statement demanding immediate and unconditional freedom of Mostafaei’s family from prison; demanding freedom of practice of law for Mohammad Mostafaei and all Iranian lawyers; and demanding an immediate end to harassment and intimidation of Mostafaei, his family, friends, and colleagues.

The world must break its silence on the Islamic Republic’s medieval criminal laws, and abuses even of that law. Your colleague, Geoffrey Robertson QC, appointed by the UN Secretary-General as one of the “distinguished jurist” members of the UN Internal Justice Council, has begun this work by issuing his findings on the massacre of political prisoners in Iran in 1988 (http://www.iranrights.org/english/attachments/doc_1115.pdf). I ask you to continue the fight for justice in Iran at a time when there is no justice to be found.

Sincerely,

[your name]

Addresses of Bar Associations and Law Schools: (compilation of Bar Association addresses courtesy of Shreen Ayob, with many grateful thanks)

International Bar Association (IBA) iba@int-bar.org
Lawyers and legal centers Communities Council of Europe (CCBE) ccbe@ccbe.eu
Organization of Lawyers for Lawyers (Advocaten voor Advocaten) info@lawyersforlawyers.nl
Goethe University School of Law info@ilf.uni-frankfurt.de
Santa Clara University Law School iflores@scu.edu, vbali@scu.edu
The Bar Council (UK) Ethics@BarCouncil.org.uk
Criminal Bar Association (UK) ADolan@barcouncil.org.uk
Alba (UK) enquiries@adminlaw.org.uk
The City of London Law Society (UK): mail@citysolicitors.org.uk
European Young Bar Association (UK): info@eyba.org
Estonian Bar Association: advokatuur@advokatuur.ee
The Finnish Bar Association: info@barassociation.fi
France:
Association Francaise des Avocats: ace@avocatline.com.fr
Association Francaise des Juristes d’Entreprise : admin@afje.org
Conseil National des Barreaux : presidence@cnb.advocat.fr
Arab Association for International Arbitration: ahdab@destination.com.lb
Ordre des Avocats de Paris: delegationgenerale@avocatparis.org
Law Society of Ireland general@lawsociety.ie
Netherlands Bar Association info@advocatenorde.nl
Germany:
German Bar Association dav@anwaltverein.de
The German Federal Bar: zentrale@brak.de
Budapest Bar Association (Hungary): bpbar@matavnet.hu
The Icelandic Bar Association: lmfi@lmfi.is
The Bar Council of Ireland: barcouncil@lawlibrary.ie
The Law Society of Ireland: general@lawsociety.ie
Italy:
Ordine degli Avvocati di Milano (Italy): segreteria@ordineavvocatimilano.it
Avvocati di Roma (Italy): consiglio@ordineavvocati.roma.it
Ordine Degli Avvocati Di Perugia (Italy): segreteria@ordineavvocati.perugia.it
Ordine degli Avvocati di Genova (Italy): ordavvge@split.it
Kosova Chamber of Advocates: info@oak-ks.org
Bar Association of Armenia info@iravaban.am
Austria rechtsanwaelte@oerak.at, office@rakwien.at
Azerbaijan Lawyers Confederation k_jafarli@yahoo.com
Belgium groups:
Institut des Juristes d’Entreprise: info@ije.be
Nederlandse Orde van Advocaten bij de Balie te Brussel: orde@baliebrussel.be
Orde van Vlaamse Balies: info@advocaat.be
Bulgaria:
Sofia Bar Association(Bulgaria): sak_sas@abv.bg
Supreme Bar Council of Bulgaria: VASarch@bitex.com
Interadvocat Bar Association (Bulgaria): todorova@bbcelegalconsultancy.com
Croatian Bar Association: hok-cba@hok-cba.hr
Cyprus Bar Association s: cybar@cytanet.com.cy
Czech Bar Association: international@cak.cz
The Danish Bar and Law Society: bbu@advocom.dk, uwk@danskeadvokater.dk
Association of Danish Law Firms: uwk@danskeadvokater.dk
The Latvian Council of Sworn Advocates: adv-pad@latnet.lv
Le Barreau de Luxembourg: info@barreau.lu
Amsterdam Bar Association: deken@aova.nl
Netherlands Bar Association: info@advocatenorde.nl
Law Society of Northern Ireland: info@lawsoc-ni.org
The General Council of the Bar of Northern Ireland: chief.executive@barcouncilni.org.uk
Norwegian Bar Association: post@advokatforeningen.no
Poland:
The Polish Bar Council: nra@nra.pl
National Council of Legal Advisers of Poland: kirp@kirp.pl
Ordem dos Advogados
Portugueses: cons.geral@cg.oa.pt
Romania:
Bucharest Bar Association (Romania): secretariat@baroulbucaresti.ro
Dolj Bar Association (Romania): baroul.dolj@rdscv.ro
Russia:
Federal Chamber of Lawyers of the Russian Federation: info@advpalata.com
International Union (Commonwealth) of Advocates (Russian): mcca@mail.ru
Moscow Chamber of Advocates: info@advokatymoscow.ru
Scotland associations: lawscot@lawscot.org.uk, carole.ferguson-walker@advocates.org.uk, lawscot@lawscot.org.uk
Spain:
Illustre Colegio de Abogados de Madrid: icam@icam.es
Illustre Collegio d’Advocats de Barcelona: internacional@icab.es
Ilustre Colegio de Abogados de Malaga: decano@icamalaga.es
Consejo General de la Abogacia Espanola: informacion@cgae.es
Ilustre Colegio de Abogados de Valencia: internacional@icav.es
The Swedish Bar Association: info@advokatsamfundet.se
Swiss Bar Association: info@swisslawyers.com
Ankara Bar Association (Turkey): ankarabarosu@ankarabarosu.org.tr
Union of Turkish Bars: admin@barobirlik.org.tr
Ukraine:
Ukrainian Bar Association: info@uba.ua
Union of Advocates of Ukraine: office@b-i-m.com.ua
Austrailia:
Law Council of Australia: mail@lawcouncil.asn.au
The Australian Bar Association: info@austbar.asn.au
Law Society of New South Wales: lawsociety@lawsocnsw.asn.au
The Law Society of the Australian Capital Territory: lawsoc@lawsocact.asn.au
The South Australian Bar Association: sabar@sabar.org.au
Victorian Bar Council: vicbar@vicbar.com.au
Japan Federation of Bar Associations: international@nichibenren.or.jp
The Japan Bar Association: masatsugu.suzuki@bakernet.com
Tokyo Bar Association: akita@toben.or.jp
New Zealand:
New Zealand Bar Association: nzbar@nzbar.org.nz
New Zealand Law Society: inquiries@lawyers.org.nz
Canadian Bar Association: info@cba.org
Chambre des notaires du Quebec: admin@cdnq.org
Federation of Law Societies of Canada: info@flsc.ca
Iranian American Bar Association: mail@iranbar.org
American Bar Association International Liaison Office: abailo@staff.abanet.org
Los Angeles County Bar Association: questions@lacba.org
National Association of Women Lawyers: nawl@nawl.org
State Bar of Michigan International Law Section: smcmann@mail.michbar.org
New York State Bar Association International Section: lcastilla@nysba.org
UK Law Schools and Societies
London School of Economics (LSE), dept of Law: lawdepartment@lse.ac.uk
LSE Law Society: a.y.tan@lse.ac.uk
City University Law School: law@city.ac.uk
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) Law School: law@soas.ac.uk
SOAS Law Society: 219960@soas.ac.uk, 213515@soas.ac.uk
Oxford University Faculty of Law: lawfac@law.ox.ac.uk
Cambridge University Law Faculty: enquiries@law.cam.ac.uk
Imperial College Law Society: lawsoc@imperial.ac.uk
School of Law: Kings College: law-otherenquiries@kcl.ac.uk
Kings College Law Society: jack.browne@kcl.ac.uk, sebastian.multala@kcl.ac.uk
UCL Law School: h.genn@ucl.ac.uk, joanne.scott@ucl.ac.uk
UCL Law Society: ucl-law-society@ucl.ac.uk, k.bochenek@ucl.ac.uk
Nottingham Law School: gsr@ntu.ac.uk
Aberdeen Law School: p.beaumont@abdn.ac.uk
Edinburgh University Law School: law@ed.ac.uk
Surrey University Law School: fmlreception@surrey.ac.uk
Surrey University Law Society: ussu.lawsoc@surrey.ac.uk
Brunel Law School: international@brunel.ac.uk
Brunel Law Society: brunellawsociety@lawyer.com

AIM Takes Part in International Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtaini Day

Friday night, well more Saturday early morning actually, saw me sitting on my living room floor cutting up cardboard packing boxes, applying tape, staples and poly pockets and doing lots and lots of printing. The end results were some homemade protest placards and signs of different sizes and alot of letters and petitions. I was pretty pleased with myself.

Saturday morning saw me carry these on the train to Edinburgh. 2pm saw Lilith and I standing at the bottom of the mound speaking to people about Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and her pending sentence of death by stoning, and collecting signatures to have Iran removed from the UN Commission on the Status of Women.

The response we had was almost all positive and it made us both feel good that so many people passing by recognised the picture of Sakineh and were aware of her case. Worryingly a large number of people were under the impression she had been pardoned and was out of danger but we did everything we could to give out the most accurate and up to date information. We were approached by several different Iranian people who were visiting Edinburgh from their new home countries such as France and Canada. One female Iranian was almost in tears as she thanked us for what we were doing and told us that the help of international campaigns and governments did make a difference and was definitely needed. During the two and a half hours that we were there we spoke to the old, the young, men, women, even some children, blacks, whites, asians, orientals, locals, tourists, lawyers, students, the unemployed, gays, straights... almost all of whom cared.

We ran out of letters and petitions to be signed, and gave out a good number of AIM business cards to the many people who wanted to follow the case further. Of nearly 100 pieces of paper taken with us, be they letters to the PM, petitions to the UN or facts and information about Sakineh and the campaigns working to help her, they were all either signed or handed out. Some passersby even agreed to have their pictures taken holding a photograph of Sakineh to show their support of her and all those many others in her position.

So that was The AIM in Edinburgh, but we were not alone in the actions we took. All over the world people came out and showed their support of Sakineh on what the campaign to save her has named International Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani Day. The AIM was represented at a protest in Toronto, Canada by member Coffy and his daughter Dee. Our One Law For All comrades took part in protests in London and we also heard that an AIM supporter and GRep member held a small protest with her friends in California. Most countries in Europe had rallies and protests as well as a number of cities in Canada, the US and Australia.

There is still a lot of work to be done if Sakineh is to be saved. At the moment her case is being reviewed and the decision has been put off for a further 20 days. Many, including myself, believe that this is in the hope that the eyes of the world will turn elsewhere and Iran can then stone her behind the closed doors they have until recently enjoyed. We cannot allow this to happen. The life of Sakineh and the safety of those in Iran supporting her are in danger until this is over. Her son and her lawyer have both been summoned to the ministry of justice for questioning and have been threatened with arrest. Sakineh herself has been interrogated inside the prison about who she has had contact with outside of Iran and in the media and about how her photo has been circulated around the world.

If you have not already done so please sign one or all of the many petitions online and write a letter to as many people as you can think of. Ask your local government representative to apply pressure in the right places, find and get involved with a campaign in your local area. Tell your friends and family about it and ask them to sign the petition. Consider printing a picture of Sakineh or a sign and take a photo or record a video message of support and post it online, or send it to me and I will add it to those I already have to be posted. Make a video, write a blog, draw a picture. Until it is over one way or another then I will not stop fighting for this woman's life, and for the lives of the many others that are, or in future may be, in her position. Please fight with me.

The campaign to save Sakineh and the protests held yesterday were covered by a number of online blogs and news sources including Iran Solidarity, BBC, CNN, StopStoningNow and many users via YouTube.

International Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani Day: World Citizens against Stoning

Despite the massive international campaign to save her, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani still faces execution in Iran by stoning for the 'crime' of adultery.

I am against the death penalty in all cases, but cases where the penalty is applied for something that is not even a crime, and in such a barbaric form as stoning, I am completely outraged. This is a case that I have followed closely and have supported in many ways. If it were not for our actions to this point Sakineh would already have been murdered by her own country and the regime would be plowing on with it's campaign against women, freedom, political opposition and human rights. Due to our campaigning and pressure we have already delayed the stoning and have forced Iranian officials to hold an review of her case. But we cannot stop here as many believe that the delay in the decision is merely a ploy to allow the international community to relax and look elsewhere while the Iranian Regime goes ahead with it's cruel and inhumane punishments for actions not even deemed crimes by the civilized world and for actions that are often not even proven to be true.

Tomorrow has been named Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani Day and people all over the world will be gathering in support of Sakineh and the many others like her, and against the barbaric practises of The Islamic Republic of Iran. Please join me in Edinburgh at the bottom of the mound at 2pm and stand with me and show your support. This is an issue that cannot be beaten except by the continued and focused international pressure that has been seen so far.

If you wish to bring posters or signs please do, examples can be found via Iran Solidarity, Mission Free Iran and The AIM's blog. If you are not in the Edinburgh area please attend or organise a protest near you.

Keeping The Pressure On

From Maria Rohaly of Mission Free Iran:

This is for Sakineh.

This is for every woman living under threat of execution in Iran.
 

This is for all of us.

It is a call for designating July 24 as International Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani Day. And it is a call to go back to the streets in protest.

Stopping the execution of Sakineh makes it harder for the Islamic Republic to execute anyone else. Were it not for our outcry, she would have already been stoned to death. And that is a fact.

Let's keep making it hard for the regime to kill our sisters and brothers in Iran.

Love,
Maria.

Please go here for more information. Please take action... 

For Sakineh.

For her children. 

For the people of Iran.

For the people of the world...

URGENT: Sign Letter To Stop Stoning (sign by Friday AM)

I received this email today from onelawforall@gmail.com and have replied and asked that my name be added to the letter. Please contect them yourselves and ask that your name also be added. It is only together that we can have any hope of stopping the stoning of Sakineh and those others awaiting execution. Please contact them by Friday 10am BST. Please also look out for more information about actions taking place on 24th July related to this matter.

Hello

We are writing to ask you to sign on to this urgent letter, which we aim to make public on Friday 16 July. It is calling for an International Sakine Ashtiani Mohammadi Day, the woman who was sentenced to death by stoning and still faces execution for having an ‘illicit affair.’

If you are able to sign on to the letter, please email me no later than 10am Friday morning. The letter will be published at 12 noon tomorrow. Please also state any organisational affiliation you want mentioned.

Thank you for you attention to this crucial matter.

Warm wishes

Mina Ahadi, International Committee against Executions and Stoning

Maryam Namazie, Iran Solidarity

http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/
http://iransolidarity.org.uk/
http://notonemoreexecution.org/


24 July 2010 - International Sakine Ashtiani Mohammadi Day

Citizens of the World against Stoning!

We, the undersigned, are extremely concerned about the fate of 43 year old Sakine Ashtiani Mohamadi and fear she may be executed in Iran at any time for ‘having an illicit relationship.’

We call on people everywhere to intensify their protests by marking Saturday 24 July as the International Sakine Ashtiani Mohammadi Day. On the Saturday, we ask you to come out on to the streets and in city centres across the globe at 2pm local time bringing photos of Sakine and messages in her defence and against stoning and execution. Other measures that can be taken include highlighting her case wherever possible, signing the petition (http://stopstonningnow.com/sakine/sakin284.php?nr=50326944〈=en), joining rallies, and keeping pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The mother of two has already received 99 lashes and been sentenced to death by stoning. Sajjad, her 22-year-old son, who raised the alarm of her imminent stoning when there was no further legal recourse via an open letter to the people of the world (http://stopstonningnow.com/sakine/sakin284.php?nr=50326944〈=en) and said ‘there is no justice’ in Iran (http://iransolidarity.blogspot.com/2010/07/letter-to-mina-ahadi-and-all-those.html) has been summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence for his brave efforts to secure his mother’s freedom.

As a result of the public outcry, the embassy of the Islamic regime of Iran in London has issued a press release stating that the regime did not intend to stone her, that stoning in Iran was rare and that there was no truth to the reports (http://iransolidarity.blogspot.com/2010/07/keep-pressure-on-until-we-end-stoning.html); her lawyer, however, has made it clear that “Iranian embassies are not a part of the judiciary system, and it is the judiciary which should cancel this sentence.” Rather than being rare, over 100 known stonings have already taken place in Iran and another 60 known cases await death by stoning (http://iransolidarity.org.uk/Sangsarha%20lst-farshad-july2010.pdf). Since the global protest, families of others held in Tabriz prison have come forward with news of 170 people sentenced to death, including children, youth, and 18 men and women for being gay. Two other women also await death by stoning in the same prison including Azar Bagheri who was 15 when she was arrested and 25 year old Maryam Ghorbanzadeh.

On 24 July 2010 at 2pm join us and make the world stand still in its rage against medievalism and barbarity and in its support of humanity. Sakine, her children and the many others awaiting death by stoning and execution deserve nothing less.

Bad News All Day!

After several days of not feeling too good and having a house full of people and cats, I woke up this morning for the first time in 3 days without pain searing through my head and making my eyes feel like they're on fire. The relief lasted only until I read some blogs and news stories.

A quick round up of how bad it is in the world today...

Having submitted to International pressure The Islamic Regime of Iran had agreed not to 'stone' to death Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a 43 year old mother of two. It looked likely that she would instead face death by hanging for the crime she has been convicted of. The crime being adultery. This announcement was no victory but it was a step towards ending the barbaric practise if stoning people to death. This morning I was sent a message with a link to an article that stated that The IRI had taken a stand and would in fact go ahead with Sakineh's original sentence of stoning, and also that this is not only for the crime of adultery but also the crime of the murder of her husband. This is a charge that has never previously been mentioned in connection with Sakineh and it seems now to be a last ditch attempt or excuse to justify her murder sentence.

I also learnt that in the same city in Iran where Sakineh is being held a 26 year old woman has been punished for refusing to conform to The Islamic dress code (wearing a hijab). Elnaz Babazadeh was stopped by the local authorities and when she refused to conform to the dress code three agents jumped into her car, threatened her with a gun, raped her, executed her and dumped her body near a cemetery.

Next I find out that in that city alone The IRI will also be stoning a pregnant woman, will be hanging 18 people for the 'crime' of homosexuality, have been carrying out mock stonings on a teenager in preparation for the real thing and are holding a large number of juvenile 'offenders' on death row. All this from a country that has recently been awarded a seat on The UN Commission on the Status of Women??

While The IRI is clearly a gender-apartheidist regime that controls it's people with fear, violence, rape and torture, it is not only women and children who are targeted. As a result of the high profile campaign started by Mission Free Iran to prevent the stoning of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, MFI have received another letter from Iran begging for help from the international community. This letter is sent at great risk to the family of those involved and shows how desperate they are for help. The letter was sent by the Mother and younger brother of a community and human rights worker named Behnam Ebrahimzadeh. He has been tortured and imprisoned by The IRI and his family now fear for his life as he languishes in an Iranian prison without access to medical treatment for the broken bones he sustained during his arrest and torture.

Also in today's news, 37 year old William L. Garner was executed at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility near Lucasville. He died by lethal injection at 10.38am local time. Garner became the 6th condemned inmate to be executed in Ohio this year and the 39th overall since capital punishment resumed in 1999. He also became the 31st condemned inmate to be put to death this year in the USA and the 1219th overall since the nation resumed executions on January 17, 1977.

If you wish to become involved with any of the many campaigns to help with any of the issues I have mentioned today then please visit some of the links and blogs posted below. They are also a great source of information if you want to find out more about anything I have mentioned.

Just to show that there is some hope in this world for true equality, the UK announced on Wednesday that it will now consider cases of asylum for people fleeing countries due to fear of violence or prosecution because of their sexuality. In some ways it's a small step, but it is long overdue and for me it was a reminder that if we keep working we will see change. It reminds me never to stop until that day has come. I was also overwhelmed by the blogs, videos and pictures from all over the world showing global acts of solidarity on Sunday's International Day Against Stoning. Please check them out in the links below.

Mission Free Iran

Iran Solidarity

Death Penalty News

July 11 - Copenhagen 

July 11 - MFI

Iran Solidarity - Sakineh Posts

 

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.

STOP the STONING of Sakine Mohammadi! UPDATE

Via Stop the Stoning Of Sakine Mohammadi:

Confirmed PROTESTS this weekend -

LONDON, England: Friday July 2, 18:00-21:00 outside the Islamic Republic Embassy, 16 Prince’s Gate, London SW7 1PT, تلفن اطلاعات: 07515732665

KÖLN (Cologne), Germany: Sunday July 4, Mourning Mothers will gather at the Church Door in the City Center at 11am to protest the threatened executions of Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani and Zeinab Jalalian.

TORONTO, Canada: Sunday July 4, Community Fair at the Toronto Pride Week festivities; activities will consist of handing out flyers and talking to the community about stopping the stoning of Sakine. (more details forthcoming)

WASHINGTON DC, United States: Friday July 2, 6:00pm outside the Islamic Republic Interests Section of the Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Ave NW. Walk to DuPont Circle to read demands and share information with the community about Sakine Mohammadi, Zeinab Jalalian, and removing the Islamic Republic from the UN Commission on the Status of Women
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You too can set up an event on Friday in your town. 
Contact:

+491775692413

http://stopstonningnow.com/sakine 
http://missionfreeiran.wordpress.com/
http://iransolidarity.org.uk/

Take Action To Stop The Stoning Of Sakine Mohammadi

Via Mission Free Iran

Friends: URGENT ACTION is required on behalf of Sakine Mohammadi.

This post includes the following:

1) The appeal from her children in English

2) Sample letters to send to
– the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights copied to Amnesty International
– the International Committee of the Red Cross

Two things to do:

1) Please send the sample letters adjusted per your preferences to the targeted recipients

2) Please send the children’s letter to your local newspaper with an explanation of why we need to support these children and take a stand against execution in Iran.

LETTER FROM THE CHILDREN OF SAKINE MOHAMMADI:

Do not allow our nightmare become a reality, Protest against our mother’s stoning!

Today we stretch out our hands to the people of the whole world. It is now five years that we have lived in fear and in horror, deprived of motherly love. Is the world so cruel that it can watch this catastrophe and do nothing about it?

We are Sakine Mohammadi e Ashtiani’s children, Fasride and Sajjad Mohamamadi e Ashtiani. Since our childhood we have been acquainted with the pain of knowing that our mother is imprisoned and awaiting a catastrophe. To tell the truth, the term “stoning” is so horrific that we try never to use it. We instead say our mother is in danger, she might be killed, and she deserves everyone’s help.

Today, when nearly all options have reached dead-ends, and our mother’s lawyer says that she is in a dangerous situation, we resort to you. We resort to the people of the world, no matter who you are and where in the world you live. We resort to you, people of Iran, all of you who have experienced the pain and anguish of the horror of losing a loved one.

Please help our mother return home!

We especially stretch our hand out to the Iranians living abroad. Help to prevent this nightmare from becoming reality. Save our mother. We are unable to explain the anguish of every moment, every second of our lives. Words are unable to articulate our fear…

Help to save our mother. Write to and ask officials to free her. Tell them that she doesn’t have a civil complainant and has not done any wrong. Our mother should not be killed. Is there any one hearing this and rushing to our assistance?

Faride and Sajjad Mohammadi e Ashtiani

Disseminated by the Committee Against Stoning
Mina Ahadi
+49 177 569 2413

————–

SAMPLE LETTER TO NAVI PILLAY, UN High Commissioner for the Office of Human Rights:

Send to: npillay@ohchr.org, urgent-action@ohchr.org, Iran_team@amnesty.org

Dear Ms. Pillay,

I am writing to you with an urgent demand that you intervene with the authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, who are preparing to execute by stoning Sakine Mohammadi e Ashtiani. Stoning is a barbaric form of torture and execution that should be outlawed worldwide. It is your responsibility to step in and demand a halt to these proceedings.

The children of Ms. Mohammadi e Ashtiana have written a letter in her defense, and have issued a call to the world asking for help. Their letter is here; I suggest you read it, and then act according to their heartrending demands.

http://missionfreeiran.wordpress.com/2010/06/26/sakine-children-2

Sincerely,

[your name]

* * * * *

SAMPLE LETTER TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS:

Send to: Florian Westphal and Dorothea Krimitsas

Dear Ms. Westphal and Ms. Krimitsas,

I am writing to you with an urgent request that you intervene with the authorities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, who are preparing to execute by stoning Sakine Mohammadi e Ashtiani. Stoning is a barbaric form of torture and execution that should be outlawed worldwide. Multilateral organizations have thus far refused to step in and put a halt to the criminal actions perpetrated by the Islamic Republic. Your mandate encourages your organization to undertake the work of visiting prisoners in situations of internal violence, where the Geneva Conventions do not apply. I ask you to step in and demand a halt to these and other ongoing criminal and barbaric proceedings in the Islamic Republic

The children of Ms. Mohammadi e Ashtiana have written a letter in her defense, and have issued a call to the world asking for help. Their letter is here; please read it, and then act according to their heartrending demands.

http://missionfreeiran.wordpress.com/2010/06/26/sakine-children-2

Sincerely,

[your name]