Sakine at imminent risk of execution - what activists can do
No to stoning | 06.08.2010 21:37 | Gender | Repression | Social Struggles | World
Moreover, her well known human rights lawyer, Mohammad Mostafaei, is in prison in Turkey after having fled the country to evade arrest for his advocacy work. His wife remains in prison in Iran – held hostage – until he is remanded into the regime’s custody ( http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/?p=1652). Given Turkey’s close relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mostafaei can face deportation back to Iran even though he has applied for refugee status with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees there.
Campaigners are concerned about the safety of Mostafaei and his wife. We are also extremely concerned for Ashtiani’s life. The regime may be preparing to execute her within the next few days, particularly given that the Tabriz prosecutor has demanded her execution and is awaiting the Tehran high court’s confirmation ( http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/?p=1665).
In her most recent heart-wrenching message, she says:
“I am now quiet and sad because a part of my heart is frozen.
The day I was flogged in front of [my son] Sajjad, I was crushed and my dignity and heart were broken.
The day I was given the stoning sentence, it was as if I fell into a deep hole and I lost consciousness.
Many nights, before sleeping, I think to myself how can anybody be prepared to throw stones at me; to aim at my face and hands? Why?
I thank all of you from Tabriz Prison.
Mrs [Mina] Ahadi, tell everyone that I’m afraid of dying. Help me stay alive and hug my children.”
As a result the public outcry, Brazilian president Lula da Silva has offered Ashtiani asylum there. Ashtiani has accepted the offer. The regime, however, has rejected it and continues to push for her execution and to disseminate misinformation on her case. It says it intends not to stone her but to execute her for murdering her husband. At the 30 July press conference in London, Mina Ahadi exposed the regime’s misinformation on the case and revealed court documents showing Ashtiani’s sentence of death by stoning for adultery. [In fact, she was acquitted of any murder charges; even those found guilty of murdering her husband have not been executed at the request of the victim’s family.]
At the 30 July press conference, Maryam Namazie also refuted claims made by the embassy of the Islamic regime of Iran in London and the former French ambassador to Iran that stonings in Iran were rare; she referred to a new report published by the International Committee against Executions which has found that over 100 people have been stoned with 25 known cases currently awaiting death by stoning in Iran. Other speakers at the press conference AC Grayling spoke of the contradiction between a medieval government and a progressive population wanting to be free whilst Peter Tatchell stressed the importance of supporting Sakineh and all those languishing on death row.
Given the imminent risk of execution faced by Ashtiani and the insecure status of her lawyer in Turkey we urge the public to act now.
Ashtiani’s stoning and execution orders must be rescinded, she must be immediately released and there must be an end to stoning and executions.
PLEASE ACT NOW!
1- Send Sakineh a postcard of the city you live in or are visiting this summer telling her you are thinking of her and other prisoners on death row in Tabriz prison. You can address it to:
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani
Tabriz Prison
Tabriz, Iran
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&q=tabriz+prison&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=prison&hnear=Tabriz,+Iran&view=map&cid=5511433647417998115&iwloc=A&ved=0CBcQpQY&sa=X&ei=kRVbTK2HKJOe_gaemtzoBA
2- Write letters of protest to the Islamic regime of Iran demanding Ashtiani’s release and an end to stonings and executions. Protest letters can be addressed to the below:
Head of the Judiciary
Sadeqh Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh (Office of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri
Tehran 1316814737, Iran
Email: info@dadiran.ir or via website: http://www.dadiran.ir/tabid/75/Default.aspx
First starred box: your given name; second starred box: your family name; third: your email address
Head of the Judiciary in East Azerbaijan Province
Malek-Ashtar Sharifi
Office of the Head of the Judiciary in Tabriz
East Azerbaijan, Iran
Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Iran
Email: via website: http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter (English)
http://www.leader.ir/langs/fa/index.php?p=letter (Persian)
Secretary General, High Council for Human Rights
Mohammad Javad Larijani
Howzeh Riassat-e Ghoveh Ghazaiyeh
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri
Tehran 1316814737, Iran
Fax: +98 21 3390 4986
Email: bia.judi@yahoo.com
3- Sign petitions in support of her case if you haven’t already done so. Here are two of them: http://stopstonningnow.com/sakine/sakin284.php?nr=50326944〈=en, http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_stoning/?cl=651962225&v=6766.
4- Write to government officials, heads of state, MEPs and MPs in your country of residence calling on them to intervene to save her life and to cease recognition of a regime that stones people to death in the 21st century. See Mina Ahadi’s recent letter to heads of states on this: http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/?p=1694.
5- Join protests to save her life. On 10 August come out in support of Ashtiani. On 28 August join 100 cities against stoning. More information to follow.
6- Write to the Turkish government asking them to release Mohammad Mostafaei and to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Turkey urging them to grant him refugee status and expedite his resettlement to a safe third country.
Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Basbakanlik
06573 Ankara, Turkey
Fax: +90-312-417 0476
Minister of Interior
Icisleri Bakanligi
06644 Ankara
Fax: +90 312 417 23 90
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Disisleri Bakanligi
06100 Ankara
Fax: +90 312 419 1547
webmaster@mfa.gov.tr
UNHCR - Branch Office in Turkey
Tiflis Cad. 552. Sok. No: 3
Sancak Mah. 06550 Ankara
Turkey
Fax: +90 312 441 21 73
Via website: http://www.unhcr.org.tr/MEP/index.aspx?pageKey=BizeUlasin
for more info visit:
http://www.iransolidarity.org.uk/
No to stoning
Additions
International protest against executions in Iran this weekend
06.08.2010 21:58
by missionfreeiran
Cities worldwide are joining to protest against a new round of executions in Iran. Events will be held from Thursday August 5 through Sunday August 8:
Sydney AUSTRALIA: Saturday August 7, 3pm at the QVB, under the statue, Town Hall end (contact: katgaf1@gmail.com); organized by Kat Gaffney
Ottawa CANADA: Thursday August 5, 7pm PH Ottawa
Ottawa CANADA: Saturday August 7, 12pm, in front of Parliament (contact: +44 (0) 7984445278); organized by Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
Toronto CANADA: Saturday August 7, 2-4pm at the intersection of Dandus and Yonge Street in Toronto; organized by Forogh Arghavan on behalf of Iran Solidarity and the International Committee against Stoning.
London ENGLAND: Saturday August 7, 2pm, Trafalgar Square (contact: +44 (0) 7984445278); organized by Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI); Supporters of the Mourning Mothers in Iran will attend this event
Tbilisi GEORGIA: Thursday August 5, 14.00 pm.
Government of Georgia, Chancellery, Tbilisi, 7 Ingorokva St.; organized by Tiko Japaridze and team
Berlin GERMANY: Thursday August 5 at 20:00, Mitte, Gendarmenmarkt; organized by Mission Free Iran
Cologne GERMANY: Saturday August 7, 2-4pm, Makan DOM (contact:0177 4844495); organized by Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
Hambourg GERMANY Saturday August 7, 3:00 PM, Mönckebergstrasse; organized by International Committee against Execution and Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
Oslo NORWAY: Saturday August 7 at 2:00 PM in front of Parliament (contact:+4741333268); organized by Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
Glasgow SCOTLAND: Thursday August 5 at 2pm on Buchanan Street at the junction with Gordon Street, outside Borders Books (which is now closed but everyone knows it). (contact: theaim@hotmail.co.uk) Organized by the Anti-Injustice Movement
Borås SWEDEN: Saturday August 7 at 2pm, Stortorget; organized by Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
Gotenburg SWEDEN: Saturday August 7 at 2pm, Bronzenpark; organized by Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
Helsingborg SWEDEN: Saturday August 7 at 2pm, Stortorget; organized by Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
Malmo SWEDEN: Saturday August 7 at 2pm, at Davidshalls Bron between Triangeln and Gustav Adolfs Torg; organized by Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
Stockholm SWEDEN: Saturday August 7 at 2pm, Sergelstorg; organized by Campaign to Free Political Prisoners in Iran (CFPPI)
Visby SWEDEN: Thursday August 5 at 15:00-16:50pm picket at Öster Centrum (contact: fatemimark@gmail.com); organized by Mission Free Iran
Houston Texas USA: Friday August 6 5pm in front of Al-Hadi Mosque; organized by Tour Irani
Los Angeles California USA: Thursday August 5 from 6-7:30pm in front of the L.A. Federal Building
New York City New York USA: Saturday August 7; 2-4pm, protest/leafleting at Union Square; organizer will provide leaflets; people should make and bring simple signs – suggestions for slogans are here
Washington DC USA: Thursday August 5 at 6:30pm in Lafayette Park (in front of the White House) – Pennsylvania Ave and Jackson Pl, NW – Farragut West (blue, orange lines) or Farragut North (red line) are closest Metro stations (contact: maria.rohaly@gmail.com); organized by Mission Free Iran
Washington DC USA: Sunday August 8 at 12pm in front of the Islamic Republic Interests Section of the Pakistani Embassy – 2209 Wisconsin Ave NW (contact: salehinia@aol.com)
Stop the executions