Theos-Talk Archives (August 2010 Message tt00047)

Dear friends,

In a community of human rights, I found this sample letter, to be send to the Ayatollah Sadegh, I have also the info about the e-mail which we should send it in the following web-site:
http://www.dadiran.ir/tabid/75/Default.aspx

If you wanna send follow this instructions:
(put given name in first starred box, family name in second starred box, and email address in third. Paste appeal in large box) in the link of the web-site above.


To: Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani
Head of the Judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh (Office of the Head of the Judiciary)
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri,
Tehran 1316814737,
Islamic Republic of Iran

Your Excellency,

We call on you to do everything in your powers to address our grave human rights concerns over the sentencing meted out to Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, who has been condemned to death by stoning for adultery.

On 15 May 2006, Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani was convicted of having an "illicit relationship" with two men and was sentenced to 99 lashes by Branch 101 of the Criminal Court of Osku, in East Azerbaijan Province. Then, in a September 2006 trial, Ms. Mohammadi-Ashtiani was once again accused of committing `fornication while married'. During this trial, Ms. Mohammadi-Ashtiani retracted the `confession' she supposedly made during pre-trial interrogation, alleging that she had confessed under duress, and declared her innocence. Two of the five judges found her not guilty, pointing to the lack of evidentiary proof in the case against her, and noting that she had already suffered 99 lashes due to her previous sentencing. However, Ms. Mohammadi-Ashtiani was still found guilty on the basis of "judge's intuition," even in the absence of clear or conclusive evidence, and was sentenced to death by stoning on 10 September 2006.

As you know, Iranian law dictates that a second charge may not be brought relating to an offence of which a person has already been convicted. In Ms. Mohammadi-Ashtiani's case, she has already been convicted and punished on the same set of facts. A mother of two young children, Ms. Mohammadi-Ashtiani has asked for a pardon from the Amnesty and Clemency Body twice, but both times her requests have been denied.

We consider the sentencing of Ms. Mohammadi-Ashtiani to put Iran in grave violation of its human rights commitments. Article 39 of the Iranian Constitution bans all affronts to the dignity of detained or imprisoned persons. Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) demands that "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

As a state party to the ICCPR, Iran has also made an explicit and unreserved commitment under Article 6 (2) that if the death sentence is imposed it is to be "only for the most serious crimes." The UN Human Rights Committee has made it clear that treating adultery and fornication as criminal offences does not comply with international human rights standards. We urge your government, as a State party to the ICCPR, to ensure that any legislation or changes in Iran's penal code will be in line with Iran's obligations under international law. We ask you to prohibit judges from imposing a sentence of either death by stoning or other forms of cruel punishments, such as flogging, on those charged with having consensual sexual relations. We ask you to issue an immediate moratorium on executions by stoning until the law is amended. All individuals currently under death sentence through stoning in Iran should have their sentences commuted immediately. In addition, as women are found to be disproportionately charged with adultery and fornication in Iran, we urge you to work for the removal of all provisions in the Iranian legal codes that discriminate against, or have a discriminatory impact on women because of their gender, thus putting them at risk of unfair trials and convictions.

Yours respectfully,


Erica Georgiades
erica.georgiades@DeWGuNTR-AEej1_qjRDSV1PatfJkZBAuWhHalmJmAfR45BO0fxbP6RcDiUchKVEEgjtwqxDmBJ1XhQlhG-kYoYGa.yahoo.invalid
Athens- Greece

George Georgiades
georgiades.mail@CaQZY5s1R4iSCn9XTN2tVGzHtvxhf7CD0enfYmmiBeZvqGPRbsOeQfVcAwHn9IgsU2-HLc_tdkuFL8_hD32-uf8.yahoo.invalid
Athens - Greece