24 July 2010 - International Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani Day

Citizens of the World against Stoning

We, the undersigned, are extremely concerned about the fate of 43 year old Sakine Mohamadi Ashtiani and fear she may be executed in Iran at any time for ‘having an illicit relationship.’

We call on people everywhere to intensify their protests by marking Saturday 24 July as the International Sakine Mohamadi Ashtiani Day. On the Saturday, we ask you to come out on to the streets and in city centres across the globe at 2pm local time bringing photos of Sakine and messages in her defence and against stoning and execution. Other measures that can be taken include highlighting her case wherever possible, signing petitions (http://stopstonningnow.com/sakine/sakin284.php?nr=50326944&lang=en), http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_stoning/?cl=651962225&v=6766 and (http://freesakineh.org/), joining rallies, and keeping pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The mother of two has already received 99 lashes and been sentenced to death by stoning. Sajjad, her 22-year-old son, who raised the alarm of her imminent stoning when there was no further legal recourse via an open letter to the people of the world (http://notonemoreexecution.org/campaigns/sakineh-mohammadi%c2%a0ashtiani/) and said ‘there is no justice’ in Iran (www.notonemoreexecution.org/2010/07/07/6july2010-sajjad/) has been summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence for his brave efforts to secure his mother’s freedom (http://notonemoreexecution.org/2010/07/14/press-release-no-16/).

As a result of the public outcry, the embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London has issued a press release stating that the regime did not intend to stone her, that stoning in Iran was rare and that there was no truth to the reports (http://iransolidarity.blogspot.com/2010/07/keep-pressure-on-until-we-end-stoning.html). Her lawyer, however, has made it clear that ‘Iranian embassies are not a part of the judiciary system, and it is the judiciary which should cancel this sentence’ (http://notonemoreexecution.org/2010/07/09/pr-sakineh4/). Rather than being rare, a new report has found that over 100 known stonings have already taken place and another 25 known cases await death by stoning in Iran (http://countmein-iran.com/Sangsarha%20lst-farshad-july2010.pdf). Since the global protests, families of others held in Tabriz prison have come forward with news of 170 people sentenced to death, including children, youth, and 18 men and women for being gay. Two other women also await death by stoning in the same prison including Azar Bagheri who was 15 when she was arrested and 25 year old Maryam Ghorbanzadeh who is currently pregnant (http://notonemoreexecution.org/2010/07/14/press-release-no-13/).

On 24 July 2010 at 2pm join us and make the world stand still in its rage against medievalism and barbarity and in its support of humanity. Sakine, her children and the many others awaiting death by stoning and execution deserve nothing less.

Maria Rohaly, Mission Free Iran (USA)

Shahla Abgari, Human Rights Activist (USA)

Nazanin Afshin-Jam, Stop Child Executions (Canada)

Russell Blackford, University of Newcastle (Australia)

Caroline Brancher, Union des Familles Laïques (France)

Helle Merete Brix, Journalist and Writer (Denmark)

Roy Brown, International Humanist and Ethical Union (Switzerland)

Ed Buckner, President, American Atheists (USA)

Peter Calluy, Belgian Humanist Society (Belgium)

Pierre Cassen, Riposte Laïque (France)

Megan Cornish, Seattle Radical Women (USA)

Parvin Darabi, Dr. Homa Darabi Foundation (USA)

Richard Dawkins, Scientist (UK)

Sanal Edamaruku, Rationalist International (India)

Bill Flanagan, Queen's University (Canada)

Tahir Aslam Gora, Writer and Journalist (Canada)

AC Grayling, Writer and Philosopher (UK)

Laura Guidetti, Marea Association (Italy)

Maria Hagberg, Network against Honour-Related Violence (Sweden)

Johann Hari, Journalist (UK)

Farzana Hassan, Author (Canada)

Tasneem Khalil, Independent World Report (Sweden)

Hope Knutsson, Sidmennt, the Icelandic Ethical Humanist Association (Iceland)

Leo Igwe, Nigerian Humanist Movement (Nigeria)

Sonia Jabbar, Journalist (India)

Trefor Jenkins, University of the Witwatersrand (South Africa)

Ghulam Mustafa Lakho, High Court Advocate (Pakistan)

Monica Lanfranco, Marea Feminist Review (Italy)

Anne-marie Lizin, Belgian Senate Honorary Speaker (Belgium)

Marieme Helie Lucas, Secularism Is A Women's Issue (France)

Kinga Lohmann, KARAT Coalition (Poland)

Mohamed Mahmoud, Centre for Critical Studies of Religion (UK)

Irshad Manji, European Foundation for Democracy and New York University (USA)

Caspar Melville, Rationalist Association (UK)

Behnaz Parman, Artist (Germany)

Angela Payne, Anti-Injustice Movement (UK)

Clancy Pegg, Bioethics Journal (UK)

Naomi Phillips, British Humanist Association (UK)

David Pollock, European Humanist Federation (UK)

Venita Popovic, Zenicke Sveske Journal (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Gita Sahgal, Human Rights Campaigner (UK)

Terry Sanderson, National Secular Society (UK)

Nina Sankari, European Feminist Initiative (Poland)

Udo Schuklenk, Queen's University (Canada)

Aisha Lee Shaheed, Women Living Under Muslim Laws (UK)

Issam Shukri, Defense of Secularism and Civil Rights in Iraq (Canada)

Elizabeth Sidney, Women Worldwide Advancing Freedom and Equality (UK)

Joan Smith, Writer and Activist (UK)

Mina Ahadi, International Committee Against Stoning and International Committee Against Executions (Germany)

Maryam Namazie, Iran Solidarity, Equal Rights Now – Organisation against Women’s Discrimination in Iran and One Law for All (UK)

Roy Speckhardt, American Humanist Association (USA)

Annie Sugier, Ligue du Droit International Des Femmes (France)

Richy Thompson, National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies (UK)

Christine Tasin, Résistance Républicaine (France)

Peter Tatchell, Human Rights Campaigner UK)

Giti Thadani, Writer and Filmmaker (India)

Shishir Thadani, South Asian Voice (India)

Gianni Verdoliva, Journalist (Italy)

www.solgunaz.com