Press Release 78, 8 October 2010

Mina Ahadi and Maryam Namazie meet with European Parliament Vice President on Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani
Other events and actions to support World Day against the Death Penalty

On 7 October 2010, Mina Ahadi, Spokesperson of the International Committees against Stoning and Execution, and Maryam Namazie, Spokesperson of Iran Solidarity, met with European Parliament Vice President, Roberta Angelilli to discuss the urgent case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani (see photo). In addition to providing evidence and documentation on the case, a new letter by Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, Ashtiani’s 22 year old son, was hand delivered to the Vice President. The letter stated:

Given that:
– Our mother’s lawyer and we have been denied visitation since her first coerced ‘confession’ on Iranian state television on 11 August
– The home and office of her lawyer Houtan Kian has been raided and ransacked by security forces and all documents pertaining to our mother’s case confiscated
– The authorities have been busy establishing new trumped up murder charges against our mother and denying the stoning sentence for adultery, which has yet to be officially rescinded, and
– We have been receiving threats because of our interventions on our mother’s behalf
We ask you to urgently come to our aid by:
1. Sending a delegation to Iran to look into our mother’s wellbeing and case
2. Intervening to obtain our mother’s immediate release, and
3. Providing us with refuge in Italy.
Given the Islamic Republic of Iran’s misinformation and contradictory statements regarding her case, as well our mother’s torture and mistreatment, we are concerned she will face death by stoning or execution.
Our mother, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, is innocent and must be immediately released.

At the meeting, Ms. Angelilli pledged to raise Sajjad’s requests with an upcoming delegation to Iran and the Italian Foreign Minister.

Mina Ahadi and Maryam Namazie also met with Laima Andrikiene, Rapporteur for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Vice Chair of the European Parliament’s Human Rights sub-committee.

In addition to the meetings at the European Parliament, 16 events are taking place in several cities worldwide for 10 October, World Day against the Death Penalty.

Moreover, nearly 300 individuals and organisations have signed up to a resolution against the death penalty, including: Philosopher and Writer A C Grayling; Annie Sugier, President, Ligue du Droit International des Femmes; Arlene McCarthy, Member of the European Parliament; Daniel Salvatore Schiffer, Philosopher and Writer, Promotor of the “Open Letter to the Iranian Authorities” to support Sakineh; Eli Vieira, President, Secular Humanist League of Brazil; Esmail Khoi, Poet; Gudrun Schyman, Spokesperson for Sweidsh Feminist Initiativ; Kelly Epstein, Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty; Lalia Ducos, Women’s Initiative for Citizenship and Universal Rights; Leo Igwe, President, Nigerian Humanist Movement; Marieme Helie Lucas, President, Secularism is a Woman’s Issue; Michael Schmidt-Salomon, Philosopher, Spokesperson of the Giordano Bruno Foundation; Michèle Vianès, Présidente, Regards de Femmes; Monica Lanfranco, Journalist and Director of Italian Feminist Review; Nazanin Afshin-Jam, President and Co-Founder, Stop Child Executions; Nina Sankari, European Feminist Initiative and Polish Rationalist Association; Ophelia Benson, Editor, Butterflies and Wheels; Pierre Pradervand, Trainer and Writer; Siba Shakib, best-selling Author and Filmmaker; Harold Kroto FRS, Nobel Laureate Chemistry 1996; Sonja Eggerickx, President, International Humanist and Ethical Union; Terry Sanderson, National Secular Society; and Author and Critic Wafa Sultan.

International Committee against Execution
International Committee against Stoning

For more information, contact:
minaahadi@aol.com
0049-177 569 2413