Mohammadi Ashtiani - Update and New Appeal for Support

Last Thursday I blogged about Sakine Mohammadi e Ashtiani's impending stoning in Iran.  Since then the Iranian Government have indicated that they no longer intend to stone her.  However they are still planning to kill her by hanging.  I have recieved this appeal from Amnesty International USA for signatories for another appeal to the Iranian authorities.  Please support it.

Mohammadi Ashtiani, an Iranian mother of two, could be executed at any moment.

The Iranian government was until recently set to carry out the barbaric use of stoning against Mohammadi Ashtiani for allegedly conducting an "illicit relationship outside marriage," despite the lack of any corroborating evidence against her.

Iranian officials were prepared to bury Mohammadi Ashtiani up to her chest and then throw stones at her head until she died. But after a major international uproar, Iranian officials changed their minds.

Mohammadi Ashtiani is now in danger of being executed by other means.

Iran's government just doesn't get it - execution is wrong no matter which means are used.

What's worse - Mohammadi Ashtiani has already been punished for her alleged crime. In May 2006, she received 99 lashes as her sentence and has been imprisoned ever since.

But the fact that Iranian officials have already changed their minds once about Mohammadi Ashtiani's fate proves that they are listening. Iran's draconian policies are not immune to international pressure.

Let them hear how outraged you are. Tell Iran to stop the executions by signing the petition here.

Help Sakine Mohammadi e Ashtiani Live!

Please support this appeal

Sakine Mohammadi e Ashtiani faces a horrible punishment for an act of nature: sex.

But apparently sex outside of marriage is volatile enough that this woman deserves to be executed by stoning. At least some people in Iran think so. She will almost certainly be murdered by a corrupt "justice" system in a most excruciating way unless WE do something about it. This petition is that something.

Although stoning is sadly not terribly uncommon in some parts of the world, saving one person from this atrocity could help to build the movement against inhumane punishments and executions worldwide and promote more justice in troubled nations like Iran. YOU have power to help stop this, the choice is simply yours to do it or not. I urge you brothers and sisters, for we have no more room for hate in our world, the free MUST remember the forgotten. This is simply our duty to our fellow human, to stand up for her when she cannot. I beg you to share this with anyone who would sign it, as it will send a strong message to those capable of helping this poor woman have her right to life.

By signing this petition here

Further details here

Mumia Abu-Jamal & the death penalty - Petition to President Obama

From Robert R. Bryan, lead attorney for Mumia Abu-Jamal:

Today I put online a petition for President Barack Obama regarding Mumia & the death penalty. I ask that you & your colleagues sign it as soon as possible.

Signers within the first few hours include Günter Grass, Nobel Prize winner in literature, Madame Danielle Mitterrand, former First Lady of France, Fatima Bhutto, Noam Chomsky, Ed Asner, etc.

I expect a decision next week from the U.S. Supreme Court on the question of the death penalty. Mumia & I are very concerned, because earlier this week the court denied relief in a similar case, Smith v. Spisak. Either we get a green light to proceed with the new jury trial we previously won on the question of death or life, or we are closer to an execution.

Robert R. Bryan
Law Offices of Robert R. Bryan
2088 Union Street, Suite 4
San Francisco, CA 94123-4117

Please sign this petition now



Details of Mumia's case online here