Iran imposes media blackout over woman facing stoning sentence

LONDON - Iran has imposed a media blackout over the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the 43-year-old mother of two, who was sentenced to be stoned to death and whose fate is still unclear despite an apparent “reprieve”.

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is still facing execution by hanging after being convicted of adultery, her son told The Guardian today.

Newspapers, agencies and TV channels in Iran have been banned from reporting Mohammadi Ashtiani’s death sentence, despite an international campaign launched by her children, which has been joined by politicians and celebrities from all over the world.

The campaign, first highlighted by The Guardian last week, has failed to stop the Iranian authorities from pressing ahead.

Last night the Iranian embassy in London issued an opaque statement saying that Mohammadi Ashtiani would not be stoned to death.

“According to information from the relevant judicial authorities in Iran, she will not be executed by stoning punishment,” it said.

The statement was not reported inside Iran and neither was the news of stoning death sentences for 15 other Iranians.

Iran has not stoned a woman to death since 2007 when the execution of Mahboubeh M sparked outcry in Iran. She had been forced to confess to adultery. (ANI)