Death Penalty

Last Wednesday, Iranian press reported that Iran's Judiciary had drafted legislation to remove stoning from their methods of execution. The draft legislation has been submitted to the parliament for approval, where the parliament's legal commission will prepare a final draft for Iranian MPs to vote on. Legislation is only final if accepted by the Guardians Council, which can veto legislation passed by the Parliament. Spokespersons for the Judiciary also reported that stoning sentences against several convicts had been suspended, with four commuted to jail terms or whipping.

Iran is one of the most prolific executioners in the world, and second only to China. Iran executed 335 people in 2007, although it is likely that the number is much higher. Stop Stoning Forever, an Iranian group seeking to exclude stoning from the Islamic Penal Code, has been pivotal in establishing awareness of the barbaric practice of stoning. In addition, these activists have raised crucial support for stopping violence against women through stoning.

Amnesty International United Kingdom Director, Kate Allen, said on August 6th that Iran's efforts to repeal stoning would be a welcome step, and stated that "stoning is a brutal and inhumane punishment, purposefully designed to maximise suffering. It has no place in the modern world.The Iranian authorities must now follow through on their announcement and ensure that this horrific punishment is never used again."

Women are often the victims of stoning. The Volunteer Lawyers' Network, an Iranian group which represents female convicts appealing their sentences, stated that most of the female defendents were illiterate and from under-privileged backgrounds, and were condemned to death in the absence of a good defense.

Under Iran's Islamic law, adultery is still theoretically punishable by stoning, although public executions by hanging are often carried out. Iran has designed a sort of T-bar crane, making it possible to execute two convicts at once. In January, judiciary chief Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi issued a directive that called for public hangings to be carried out only in cases of "social neccessity", although 29 convicts were executed in late July publicly. A 2002 moratorium was placed on stoning, though several provinces still practiced it. Men are buried up to their waists while stones are hurled at them, while women are buried up to their chests. The stones should be large enough to cause pain, but not so large as to kill immediately.

In July of 2007, Iran drew international criticism for the stoning to death of a man, Jafar Kiani, convicted of adultery in a village in the northwest of the country. His partner, Moharrameh Ebrahimi, who was also to be stoned, was freed this past March. 

Please take action for Soghra Najafpour's execution and speak out against Iranian juvenile executions.  

Emily

DPAC