To Stone or not to Stone

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was originally sentenced to be stoned to death for insulting Muhammad and Islam.  Then her sentence was put on hold during Ramadan,  Now she may be hanged, or stoned, or not.  International pressure on Iran has spun their leaders into a world of confusion they did not know existed until now.  Ahmadinejad, Sistani and the rest are not sure how to proceed, thus their indecision and fence-sitting. 

In any case, it is very likely that Ashtiani will be killed, it is a matter of how and when.


From Reuters/msnbc Jan 17

Iran suspends hanging sentence in stoning case: MP

TEHRAN — Iran has suspended a sentence to hang a woman at the center of a global outcry about a separate stoning sentence, a member of parliament was quoted Monday as saying, but another official suggested the comments were false.

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani's sentence to be stoned for adultery was suspended last year after condemnation from a number of governments, but she had still faced death by hanging for being an accomplice in her husband's murder.

In a letter to Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, the head of parliament's human rights committee, Zohre Elahian, said the hanging had also been suspended due to pleas from her children.

Why the President of Brazil?  Hmmm...

Brazil has warm relations with Iran and attempted to broker a deal over Iran's nuclear program last year which was rejected by the West.

Oh, OK then.

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