Women’s
Forum Against Fundamentalism in Iran
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE
Public Statement
CONTACT:
press@wfafi.org
February 27, 2009
The Iranian Regime Reinstated the Stoning Verdict
BOSTON, MA-
A woman has been convicted of crimes against morality in Iran and is facing
imminent execution by stoning. The fundamentalist regime of Iran is planning to
stone Ashraf Kalhori, 37, has been in prison for 7 years. Ashraf was initially
sentenced to 15 years plus stoning to death. Five years later, the stoning
verdict was annulled by the Islamic Prosecutor, Shahroudi. But recently, the
Commission on Clemency and Amnesty reinstated the stoning verdict.
On December 26, 2008, despite the international outcry, two men were stoned to
death in the city of Mashad, Northeatern Iran. Ashraf is facing imminent stoning
according to her lawyer, Shadi Sadr. The victim is guaranteed a slow, torturous
death. She will be buried in the ground up to her neck. The size of the stones
are not large enough to cause immediate death and are not small enough to cause
no harm. Iranian regime is the only government in the world practicing stoning
and public execution of women.
Women's Forum Against Fundamentalism in Iran (WFAFI) calls upon the
international community and human rights organization to fight for Ashraf and
stop Tehran's regime from killing her. Iran's constitution does not offer women
and young girls any protection or due process in the court. We must prevent the
Islamic Fundamentalist regime in Iran from suppression and execution of its
citizens. Observing human rights and respecting rule of law must be our first
priority in dealing with the clerical regime. The leaders of Islamic Republic's
must be brought to justice for crimes against humanity, specifically women.
The lack of a firm position by Western governments is interpreted by Tehran as
the green light to further violate the rights of its citizens, particularly
women. The issue of human rights in Iran is a political issue. The history of
the past 30 years has shown that the human rights violations are intertwined
with the ideology of the Tehran rulers. International community must support the
Iranian people and their aspirations to end this regime and fight for democratic
change.
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