The life and death of a poor woman in Iran has become a topic of international politics. Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has become a symbol. Sentenced to execution by stoning, Sakineh is presently imprisoned in Tabriz. Her crime is an alleged adultery. A campaign by her two children succeeded in halting Sakineh’s imminent execution in July 2010, but not in overturning her death sentence. On August 28, campaign called ‘100 Cities Against Stoning’ arranged demonstrations across the world in support of Sakineh. More actions have been planned.
Since stoning to death in Iran as punishment is a political question. Sakineh has, therefore, become a symbol of a political struggle between Iranian regime and world opinion.
On one hand, spearheaded by Ahmadinejad the Iranian regime is showing its ignorance of outside world by arranging fake confession on TV by Sakineh and by not overturning her death sentence.
On the other hand, people across the globe are clearly taking a stand for human rights in Iran and sending a historic message to the authorities in Iran.
Women in Iran were the first to raise their voices for equality and right to decide about their lives. The Iranian civil society did the duty to fight back tyranny in the country. As a result, thousands of activists fighting for freedoms were executed or imprisoned during these 32 years.
Sakineh is among 30 women and a few men sentenced to execution by stoning on the charges of adultery. This kind of sentence is hard to approve even according to Sharia laws. In the same cell one also finds 26-year-old Shiva Nazar Ahri. Like many other young women, Shiva has been active to defend women who end up in Sakineh’s situation.
The women politics driven by Iranian regime implies that women should be dealt with an iron hand. Hence, women are awarded most inhuman punishments. This control is exercised through religious dogmas, violence, harassment or flogging and stoning. Through a control over women’s body the regime conveys its most brutal message. The oppression of women is therefore turned into an important political affair.
A big part of Iranian civil society, both in Iran as well as in exile, has not given up the hope to beat the dictatorship. This hope spurred on by Sakineh’s case, has now led to an international determination to bring about change. Thousands of people---- nameless as well as celebrities---- have started a campaign to overturn Sakineh’s sentence. The message has reached many politicians and statesmen. Even Brazil’s president, Lula deSilva has received the news.
On July 31, an otherwise supporter of the Iranian regime, Lula said he would ask Ahmadinejad to send Sakineh to Brazil, where she could receive asylum. According to the Brazilian Foreign Ministry, the Brazilian ambassador in Teheran was directly instructed to communicate their asylum proposal to the Iranian government. Iranian officials responded by suggesting that Lula had ‘not received enough information about the case’.
Meantime, the EU-member states who keep hypocritically condemning Iran in practice have been bracing the regime. Europe’s big business keeps shaking hands with Ayotollahs whose bloody hands keep stoning women. Profit is thicker than human rights!
Meantime, Iranian regime is provoking, seeking confrontations and putting country’s security at stake. The ordinary people want peace. From the mess already prevalent in the region, Iranians understand very clearly that nothing good comes out of foreign military interventions. Iranians have always jealously guarded their independence. It is part of their national identity to defend their sovereignty. The Iranians want the global support, however, for their peaceful struggle. In last few weeks, thousands of people across the world have shown that they side with people of Iran, they side with Sakineh. Which side of the fence are you?
Sholeh Irani