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Save Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani

By Fannie

Via shakesville, I encourage readers to take action for Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a 43-year-old Iranian mother of two children, who has been sentenced to death by stoning under Sharia law for adultery.

No word on whether her partner in crime is likewise sentenced to death.

From CNN:

"Sakineh Ashtiani, who is from the northern city of Tabriz, was convicted of adultery in 2006. Some human rights lawyers believe that a language barrier prevented her from fully comprehending court proceedings at the time. She is of Azerbaijani descent and speaks Turkish, not Farsi.

In 2006, she was forced to confess after being subjected to 99 lashes, according to human rights lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei in Tehran. She later retracted that confession and has denied wrongdoing in the matter.

Furthermore, her conviction was based on the determination of three out of five judges, which is strange because Article 74 of the Iranian penal code clearly requires at least four eyewitnesses -- four men or three men and two women -- for an adulterer to receive a stoning death sentence."

The barbarity of stoning aside, notice the level of deference Shariah law grants to the authoritative male voice. The testimony of two women equals that of one man.

But back to the stoning, in addition to contacting your Senators, Representatives, and the US Dept of State, you can sign a petition here.

Full post as published by Fannie's Room on July 09, 2010 (boomark / email).