Amnesty asks Iran to stop stoning executions

Human rights activists have urged the Iranian government to do away with the “horrific and grotesque” practice of executions by stoning. Amnesty International, which is a vociferous opponent of the death sentence anywhere in the world, cited the instance of a man charged with adultery being stoned to death in Iran in July last although a moratorium was imposed on such executions in the country in 2002. The woman involved in the adultery case still remains under the threat of a similar type of execution, in which she is to be buried up to her breasts in sand and then pelted with stones till she dies. In a 30-page report, the human rights organization has called upon the Iranian government to abolish the practice of execution by stoning and also impose a moratorium on the death penalty. Mentioning that the stones are so chosen that they are big enough to cause pain but ensure prolonged agony for the victims before death, Amnesty has described the practice as “grotesque and horrific.”

Although stoning is not frequently used in Iran, it still remains the chosen form of execution in adultery cases and has a disproportionate impact on women. As far as awarding death penalties are concerned, Iran occupies a top place in the world. In 2006, 177 people were executed, mostly by hanging. In 2007, the number of executions could be even larger with 124 people already put to death in the first seven months of the year.
While making the appeal to abolish the practice of stoning and impose a moratorium on the death penalty, Amnesty International has at the same time urged the Iranian government to look differently at adultery, which is not illegal in many countries of the world. The German government has also the practice of stoning in Iran particularly abhorrent. German foreign ministry spokesman Martin Jaeger said such allegations were not new but could not, however, provide any statistical figures.