Stop stoning Soghra in Iran

An Iranian woman named only as Soghra has been sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, local media reported on Saturday 15 October 2005.

Soghra was found guilty of having an affair with her husband's friend, the Etemad daily reported. She was also given a separate 15-year jail sentence for helping her lover kill her husband. While, her lover Alireza was sentenced to death for the murder and to 100 lashes for adultery.

The International Committee against Stoning strongly condemns stoning and protests against the execution. In the past, through our intensive work and international support we have managed to stop stoning in Iran and Nigeria. Iran has met international criticism for handing out stoning sentences for adultery. We can do it again.

We have organized an international campaign to disclose such barbarity and crime against women and put an end to stoning. We urge you all to join us in our efforts to defend Human rights and save women’s lives.

Stoning is execution by torture, an act of sheer barbarism and a hideous crime against humanity.  Stoning is practiced by Islamic governments and groups imposing the Islamic Sharia law. 

Such savagery and barbarism must not be tolerated.  Stopping stoning must be a priority for all humanitarian organizations and individuals throughout the world.  We must put an end to this barbaric act once and for all.

We urge the United Nations, European Union, and other international bodies to take strong actions against Islamic Republic of Iran for inhumane and illegal treatment of the Iranian.We demand that:

•          Immediate abolition of stoning and all other forms of punishment for extra-marital relations and all other Shari'ah laws;

•      Immediate release of Soghra and all those imprisoned for extra-marital relations;

•         We support the efforts of the International Committee against Stoning and the Organization for Women’s Liberation for ending stoning in Iran. We call upon all to do the same.