In the news today there’s a truly horrific story about an Iranian woman who is facing death by stoning after being convicted of adultery. Amnesty International have called on the Iranian authorities to halt the imminent execution.
Mother-of-two, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was convicted of having an ‘illicit relationship’ with two men in May 2006 and received 99 lashes as her sentence. Yes, she has already been whipped and imprisoned.. Despite this, she has also been convicted of adultery and sentenced to death by stoning. The 43-year-old has retracted her ‘confession’ which she says was forced out of her.
With death by stoning, men are buried up to their waist and women up to their breasts before a group of around 20 men hurl stones and rocks at them until they are dead. Women are buried deeper because apparently its okay to take a jagged rock on the head but ‘immodest’ if it hits your breasts. Thoughtful. They carefully select rocks that are not too small (where death might take hours or days) or too big (death might be instant). Medium sized rocks ensure the proper amount of suffering before death.
With all of that in mind, you might like to see this petition to save her life. Its being organized by the good guys, Amnesty International. Appealing for help to the international community, her daughter, Farideh, 16, and son, Sajad, 20, said: ‘Please help end this nightmare and do not let it turn into a reality. Help us save our mother.’
As we all get rightfully indignant about this obscene throw-back to a medieval time lets not forget that only last month another obscene throw-back to a medieval time happened in America. In the gun-loving state of Utah, Ronnie Lee Gardner was judicially killed by firing squad, his heart ripped to pieces by bullets blasted from the rifles of five gunmen hidden behind a brick wall. Afterward Utah’s State attorney, Mark Shurtleff, tweeted the news that the killing had taken place.
The manner of the Iranian woman’s execution is particularly horrible but death is death. However the state kills you they take your life. It is the death penalty itself which is a vile throwback to ignorant, medieval times. It has no place whatsoever in the modern world and indeed most civilized societies have outlawed it. America stubbornly keeps dubious company with China and Iran by persisting in judicially killing its own citizens. Its a despicable and indefensible position to be in.
Of course I’m horrified by what will happen in Iran to Sakineh and I hope enough international pressure can prevent it. In criticizing its barbarity though I’m also uncomfortably aware that people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.
Ellie
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