Iranian Woman To Be Stoned To Death For Adultery

international | gender and sexuality | other press Friday August 25, 2006 18:14 by pat c

Yet another woman, Ashraf Kalhori, is to be stoned to death in Iran for "committing adultery". You can help Ashraf. Protest to the Iranian Embassy, demand that the death sentence be commuted and that she be granted a new trial.

Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
72 Mount Merrion Avenue
Blackrock
Co. Dublin

Tel: 01 288 0252 /01 288 5881
Fax: 01 283 4246

Web Site: http://www.iranembassy.ie
Email: IranEmbassy@indigo.ie

Full story at the link

pat c

Iran: Further information on Imminent execution: Ashraf Kolhari (f) ]
PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 13/095/2006 18 August 2006

IRAN Ashraf Kalhori (previously spelt as Kolhari) (f) aged 37.
The execution by stoning of Ashraf Kalhori, which was scheduled to be carried out by the end of July, has been temporarily stayed by the Head of the Judiciary, Ayatollah Shahroudi. Ashraf Kalhori remains under sentence of death.

Ashraf Kalhori was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, in accordance with laws relating to married women. She was also sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment for allegedly taking part in the murder of her husband. Her husband was killed in April 2002 after quarrelling with their neighbour, Mahmoud Mirzaei. According to Ashraf Kalhori, the killing was accidental, but police accused her of having an affair with her neighbour and encouraging the attack. She reportedly confessed to adultery under police interrogation, but later retracted her confession.

The Iranian Penal Code is very specific about the manner of execution and types of stones which should be used. Article 102 women will be buried up to their breasts for the purpose of execution by stoning. Article 104 states, with reference to the penalty for adultery, that the stones used should "not be large enough to kill the person by one or two strikes; nor should they should they be so small that they could not be defined as stones".