Sakineh Ashtiani Update: Iranian Government Coerces TV Confession from Tortured Sakineh

Please note the following correction: Upon listening to the video footage, it is evident that reports that Sakineh spoke out against Mostafavi are incorrect. She was speaking out against Mohammed Mostafaei, her attorney who was forced to fle Iran and seek asylum in Norway after Iranian authorities arrested his wife and brother-in-law and issued warrants for his arrest.

Sakineh Ashstiani

Lawyers for Sakineh Ashtiani (including one who has sought refuge in Norway because the Iranian Government has issued a warrant for his arrest) are confirming that Sakineh Ashtiani has been tortured into confessing adultery and now complicity with murder of her husband. In news over the wires a short time ago, her attorney Houtan Klan confirmed the torture saying she was severely beaten to elicit the confession. Reportedly her children, Saeedeh, 17 and Sajad, 22, are devastated. Her sentence may have been commuted to hanging.

The International Committee Against Stoning is also reporting that the Iranian Broadcasting Corporation has broadcast a TV and radio interview with Sakineh in which she confesses to murder and adultery. Interestingly, she also takes the time to condemn opposition leader Mohammed Mostafavi and chastises the international campaign to save her. It's a wonder that they haven't had her take responsibility for cancer, world hunger, global warming and malaria, too. This poor, poor woman. I simply cannot envision even a moment of what she must be enduring and the fear she must live in about not just her own fate, but that of her son and daughter.

I thank one of my readers for this translation of yesterday's ICAS post in Farsi:

Press Release No. 41 

Ashtiani Mohammad Sakineh forced against to give television interview.

According to the news that we have obtained just now, the Islamic Republic's broadcast program tonight comprised twenty to thirty minutes of TV and radio interviews of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani in which she has confessed and also spoken against Mohammad Mostafavi and the against global rescue campaigns convened for her. At the same time the Islamic Republic of television also interviewed several people in Azerbaijan Osku (Eastern Azerbaijian Province of Iran) that concur with her demands (to cease campaigning on her behalf).

This TV show against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is one that Iranian people and all those with the Islamic Republic Broadcasting Company are familiar with. The show is ridiculous. The Islamic Republic wants to fight against the strong international pressure campaign against that has formed against it. Their goal is to complete Sakineh's murder. A victim for years while in prison and living with the nightmare of death by stoning hanging over her and now forced to give an interview against herself.

We'll post this false IRIB interview so that the Iranian people and world public opinion are familiar with it. Public hatred against the Islamic Republic does not reduce the causes of our anger and disgust, but more people will be (on Sakineh's side).

  

We call on the international committees against stoning and execution, and all human rights organizations, to condemn this inhuman behavior of the Islamic Republic against Sakineh and actively defend her. 

We invite all the people to join with us, and with her children, to decisively defend against this criminal behavior and the dirty politics of the Islamic Republic. Especially, we ask the people of Tabriz and Osku  (to offer) Sakineh's children Saeedeh and Sajjad their warm and sincere support, too. (We must fight) against this toxic propaganda organ of the strongly hated Iranian regime and it's Broadcasting lies. Incomprehensible stress has been placed on Sakineh's children. Any type of help and love should not be refused them. A large front of millions around the world against the savagery of the Iranian government has been shaped, with active participation in this campaign. We must reinforce the front and show our affection to Saeedeh and Sajjad. 

International Committee Against Executions 

International Committee against Stoning 

August 11 

ICAS is trying to organize August 28th as a day of international protest against Sakineh's treatment. Let's hope that that date is not too late. Klan, her attorney reports that he believes that she is likely to be hanged at any time since the Iranian regime have extracted everything possible from her to make themselves, they erroneously think, look justified.

As soon as the video footage is up, I'll post it. 

And to my Iranian readers, all I say is that you take my breath away with your courage, inventive resourcefulness and sense of justice.

© Bright Nepenthe, 2010