EARTH TIMES, Berlin, August 13, 2010 – Since July international protests have grown over the case of Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, who was sentenced to death by stoning after being convicted of adultery.
On Wednesday state television in Iran aired a confession by the 43-year-old woman, which activists said was involuntary.
The authorities have temporarily suspended carrying out the sentence.
However ’this ’confession’ means certain death for her,’ said Javad Dabiran, spokesman for the Opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran.
Activists said the event was also in support of seven other political prisoners who have been sentenced to death by Iranian courts.
In Iran stoning is imposed mainly as punishment for offences related to illegitimate sex, such as adultery.
Iran’s judiciary had ordered the courts to halt stoning sentences due to negative international impact and to use alternative punishments instead, but some courts continue to issue the sentence, especially in the provinces.
During the stoning, men are buried up to their waist and women up to their necks and then stones are thrown against their head and body until they die.