Monday, September 6, 2010

Sakineh Ashtiani Update: More Flogging?



After the Times of London posted, on August 28, a photograph of an unveiled woman claiming it was Sakineh Ashtiani, apparently Sakineh has been sentenced to 99 lashes for "spreading corruption and indecency" since she would have allowed herself to be photographed unveiled. 

There is a huge row afoot over whether the woman in the photograph really even is Sakineh Ashtiani, because her family and one of her other attorneys have stated firmly that it is NOT Sakineh.

Meanwhile, I want to know what the f*ck Mohammed Mostafei was even thinking to have given a news outlet a photograph of an unveiled woman when he is dealing with a woman who is literally fighting for her life because of Sharia law that wants her veiled, shut up and dead? Maybe he ought to think a little less about his 15 minutes and more about his former client and the world she's living (for the present) in? Maybe reflecting on her every waking moment will make him think twice before any further commentary. Her family certainly hopes so. According to Iran Free Press, Sajjad, her son, has implored Mostafei not to make any further comments about his mother, his mother's case or his father's death. 

The CNN report quotes her attorney Houtan Kian as saying that Sakineh was already flogged for the photo.

It is all simply too horrifying to imagine. What more must this woman endure?


The Sakineh Timeline:

2006 Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani lashed 99 times for "adultery" in
Iran, charges she denies

November 2008 she is sentenced to death by stoning for the same offense due to process called "judicial wisdom"

July 2010 Worldwide protests begin about her fate

July 12th 2010 Iran now says the stoning sentence is not for adultery but for the murder of her husband

August in a confession on state TV - which many believe to be forced - she confesses to complicity in her husband's murder

August 28th Times of London published photo of unveiled woman purported to be Sakineh on Save Sakineh Ashtiani Day/Stop Stoning

September 3rd News emerges Sakineh has been sentenced to 99 additional lashes for allowing the dissemination of a picture purportedly of her (although of another woman) not wearing the hijab

September 6th Sakineh's son, Sajjad Ghaderzedah, says he has heard from a released prisoner in Tabriz that his mother was lashed 99 times for indecency.



© Bright Nepenthe, 2010

1 comment:

  1. Hey Dennis, does this mean you're in favor of stoning and flogging?

    ReplyDelete