IRAN: SUSPENSION OF STONING A WELCOME STEP IF CARRIED OUT

Amnesty International welcomed the announcement by the spokesperson for Iran's judiciary that execution by stoning has been suspended, as a result of which several women have had their sentences commuted. Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said 'the Iranian authorities must now follow through on their announcement and ensure that this horrific punishment is never used again.' Amnesty cautioned that the authorities must ensure that this is not a 'hollow promise.' They failed to stop the practice after Ayatollah Shahroudi, the head of Iran's judiciary, announced a moratorium on stoning in December 2002. At least one stoning execution was carried out in 2007 in Qazvin province. Allen said ‘an end to stoning would be a real victory for Iranian human rights activists who have mounted their own Stop Stoning Forever Campaign. It would be a big step forward for human rights.’ 'The Iranian authorities should now act to end other cruel and inhuman punishments like flogging and the amputation of limbs, and take other steps to reduce use of the death penalty.'