03 Jan 2011
TEHRAN: Authorities reviewing a death by stoning sentence against an Iranian woman convicted of adultery could still halt the punishment, a senior judiciary official said Sunday as Iran struggles to mute an international outcry over the case.
The comments, however, offered no clear evidence that Iran's judiciary would commute the sentence against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who was taken from prison late Saturday to meet with journalists in another bid by Iran to highlight her purported confession of helping her lover kill her husband.
Ashtiani — who has previously appeared on state-run TV — denied she has been tortured in prison and admitted she was an accomplice to the murder. Security officials were present as she spoke.
Iranian authorities also used her brief appearance to push back against pressure to free two German reporters arrested after trying to interview Ashtiani's son, who helped ignite the international campaign against the sentence. Ashtiani said she planned to sue the two Germans if she was released.
The threats of lawsuits awas seen a warning to the international activists to stay out of the case. agencies.
The comments, however, offered no clear evidence that Iran's judiciary would commute the sentence against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who was taken from prison late Saturday to meet with journalists in another bid by Iran to highlight her purported confession of helping her lover kill her husband.
Ashtiani — who has previously appeared on state-run TV — denied she has been tortured in prison and admitted she was an accomplice to the murder. Security officials were present as she spoke.
Iranian authorities also used her brief appearance to push back against pressure to free two German reporters arrested after trying to interview Ashtiani's son, who helped ignite the international campaign against the sentence. Ashtiani said she planned to sue the two Germans if she was released.
The threats of lawsuits awas seen a warning to the international activists to stay out of the case. agencies.
