THE EUROPEAN Parliament passed a near-unanimous resolution yesterday condemning a decision of the Iranian authorities sentencing a woman to death by stoning, as Iran was reported to have announced a review of the sentence.
Fine Gael MEP Seán Kelly told the parliament in Strasbourg that execution by stoning was “so revolting, barbaric and nauseating” that he felt he had to do something.
That was why, for the first time in his career, he was wearing a political T-shirt, which urged that Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani be saved, he said.
His Fine Gael colleague Mairéad McGuinness also spoke on the resolution, noting many more people have been sentenced to death in Iran and convicted on charges of “war with God” when all they had done was protest at the situation there.
Ms McGuinness added she had received more e-mails relating to a European Parliament resolution on protecting animal welfare, which she also supported, than she had on the stoning of people.
The resolution condemning the death sentence imposed on Sakineh Mohammed-Ashtiani (43), arising from a conviction for adultery, was supported by all political groups in the parliament and passed with 658 votes in favour, one against and 22 abstentions.
MEPs said a sentence of death by stoning can never be justified and noted that Iran is one of a small number of countries, including Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan and Nigeria, which practise it.
The parliament also urged the Iranian authorities to reconsider the case of Zahra Bahrami, an Iranian-Dutch national, and of 18-year-old Ebrahim Hamidi.
The MEPs called on Iran to apply a moratorium on executions pending abolition of the death penalty and also asked that it decriminalise adultery and consensual sexual relations between adults.
Iran should release all those held solely because of their involvement in peaceful protests and for using their basic right of freedom of expression, speakers urged.
A spokesman for the Iranian foreign ministry was reported to have told Iran’s State-run English-language media service yesterday that the death sentence by stoning imposed on Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani had been suspended and was being reviewed.