URGENT ACTION
WOMAN MAY FACE IMMINENT EXECUTION BY STONING
Kobra Babaei, an Iranian woman, is feared to be at imminent risk of stoning to death after her husband Rahim Mohammadi was hanged for “sodomy” on 5 October. The Iranian authorities did not inform Rahim Mohammadi’s lawyer that he was about to be executed, as is required by law.
According to an interview given by Mohamad Mostafaei, Kobra Babaei and Rahim Mohammadi’s lawyer, earlier this year, the couple had turned to prostitution to support themselves financially after a prolonged period of unemployment. They were both convicted of “adultery while being married”, a “crime” which carries a mandatory sentence of execution by stoning. Rahim Mohammadi was also convicted of “sodomy” for which the penalty is execution, the method to be specified by the judge. Mohammad Mostafaei has said he believes the execution was unlawful and has made public a letter he wrote to the Head of the Judiciary (available in English at
http://www.hra-iran.org/in..dex.php?option=com_content..&view=article&id=1835:3453..4&catid=66:304&Itemid=293) in which he said that there was no evidence of “sodomy” and that he believed this charge was brought against Rahim Mohammadi because it would allow the authorities to hang him, rather than stone him to death. According to the lawyer, Kobra Babaei is at imminent risk of stoning now that her husband has been executed.
Five other women mentioned in the original Urgent Action – Iran (full name known to Amnesty International), Khayrieh (full name known to Amnesty International), two women known only as "Hashemi-Nasab" (name previously given as "H") and M.Kh, as well as Ashraf Kalhori – all remain at risk of execution by stoning after being found guilty of “adultery while being married”. The Spokesperson for the Judiciary said in June that the Amnesty and Clemency Commission had in fact not rejected Ashraf Kalhori's plea for clemency, but was still considering her case.
PLEASE WRITE IMMEDIATELY in Persian, Arabic, English, French or your own language:
- Expressing regret at the hanging of Rahim Mohammadi on 5 October and calling for an immediate halt to the execution by stoning of Kobra Babaei, his wife;
- Calling for all stoning sentences to be commuted and for those convicted not to be executed by any other means;
- Urging the authorities to speedily enact a law that unequivocally bans stoning as a legal punishment and does not permit the use of other forms of the death penalty or flogging against those convicted of “adultery”.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 2 DECEMBER 2009 TO:
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Sadeqh Larijani
Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St.
Vali Asr Ave. south of Serah-e Jomhouri
Tehran 1316814737
Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: Via website: http://www.dadiran.ir/tabi..d/81/Default.aspx 1st starred box: your given name; 2sd starred box: your family name; 3rd: your email address
Salutation: Your Excellency
Speaker of Parliament
His Excellency Ali Larijani
Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami
Baharestan Square
Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 3355 6408
Salutation: Your Excellency
And copies to:
Director, Human Rights Headquarters of Iran Mohammad Javad Larijani
Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri, Tehran 1316814737, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +98 21 3390 4986 (please keep trying)
Email: bia.judi@yahoo.com (In the subject line: FAO Mohammad Javad Larijani)
Salutation: Dear Mr Larijani
Also send copies to diplomatic representatives accredited to your country. Please check with your section office if sending appeals after the above date. This is the second update of UA 50/09 (MDE 13/015/2009, 24 February 2009). Further information: http://www.amnesty.org/en/..library/info/MDE13/015/200..9/en and http://www.amnesty.org/en/..library/info/MDE13/050/200..9/en 