Iran Must Halt Execution of Kurdish Women, Shirin Alam-Hoei

Society for Human Rights in Iran-Southern California

Press Release

Index. 02-012010
Date: 01/19/2009 12:00 pm

Phone: 310-990-1696

Email: info@shrisc.org

website: www.shrisc.org

Iran Must Halt Execution of Kurdish Women

The Iranian authorities must halt the execution of a Kurdish political prisoner sentenced to death by Tehran's Revolutionary Court under the charge of ‘Moharebeh' (enmity against God) on January 10, 2010.

Last year, Shirin Alam-Hoei, a resident of Makoo (a city in western Azerbaijan) was detained allegedly because of her connection with the opposition group PJAK (Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan)

Ms. Alam-Hoei, 28, was arrested by security agents and after going through initial interrogation proceedings; she was transferred to the general section of Evin Prison. She was held in prison waiting for the court to make a decision.

Judge Servati sentenced her to death referring to Article 186, 187 and 190 (paragraph 2) of the Criminal Code on charges of association with PJAK and sentences her to two years imprisonment citing Article 34 for crossing boarder illegally. Earlier there was news that she had been sentenced to life in prison, but Feraidon Shami, her lawyer confirmed the death sentence. The sentence is open to appeal. Shami made the statement that he such a heavy sentence was not expected at all.

Shirin has joined Zeinab and other Kurdish political prisoners on death row. The number of Kurdish prisoners sentenced to death is now 20.

Kurds, who are one of Iran's many ethnic minority groups, live mainly in the west and northwest of the country, in the province of Kurdistan, Kermanshah, West Azerbaijan and neighboring provinces bordering Kurdish areas of Turkey and Iraq. They experience ethnic, religious, economic and cultural discrimination. In addition, Kurdish women have experiencing harsh discrimination based on the gender.

The Society of Human rights in Southern California urge Iranian authorities to commute Shirin's death sentence and call on the authorities to impose an immediate and comprehensive moratorium on executions.

Urge Iranian authorities: immediately halt execution of Sarymeh Ebadi,& Boali Johnfeshani by stoning

Society for Human Rights in Iran-Southern California

Press Release

Index. 01-012010
Date: 01/17/2009 12:00 pm

Phone: 310-990-1696

Email: info@shrisc.orgThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Sarymeh Ebadi, 30 and BoAli Johnfeshani, 32 are at imminent risk of stoning to death after being convicted of “adultery” in the city of Orumiyeh, West Azerbaijan province. According to the recent news, the province court has approved their sentences on January 6 (Day 16) without representation by a lawyer.

Despite the moratorium imposed in 2002, stoning sentences continues to be implemented in Iran.

Iran's Penal Code prescribes execution by stoning. It even dictates that the stones are large enough to cause pain, but not so large as to kill the victim immediately. Article 102 of the Penal Code states that men should be buried up to their waists and women up to their breasts for the purpose of execution by stoning. Article 104 states, with reference to the penalty for adultery, that the stones used should "not be large enough to kill the person by one or two strikes; nor should they be so small that they could not be defined as stones".

Society for human rights in Iran, Southern California, urges Iranian authorities to immediately halt execution of Sarymeh Ebadi, and BoAli Johnfeshani by stoning. We also urge the authorities to ensure that the moratorium on stoning is implemented immediately and effectively. We are calling on Majlis to urgently reform the law on stoning, and any new legislation permits neither nor any other form of execution for “adultery”