Ms Hautala, Chair of European Parliament  Subcommittee on Human Rights and Ms Lochbihler, Chair of the European Parliament Delegtion to Iran sent on 7 July 2010 a letter to Ambassador of Iran in Belgium, calling for stay of imminent executions in Iran. [:] 

To His Excellency Ali Asghar-Khaji

Dear Ambassador,

We are writing to you to express our concern about the information that we have received regarding the announced imminent executions of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and Mohammad Reza Haddadi. We call for stay of these executions and review of their cases as well as the case of Ms Zeynab Jalalian, a Kurdish political prisoner sentenced to death for ‘mohareb’. Moreover, we strongly call Iran to immediately abolish the use of death sentence and also the punishment of death by stoning.
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani faces death by stoning. We are alarmed over the reports that this is to be done with medium-size stones in order to make her death slow and painful. To add to the disquiet, it has been reported that she has already received 99 lashes. Ms Ashtiani has been convicted of “adultery” but according to her lawyer, there is no evidence of this. Concern remains also over the trial proceedings, where it would seem Ms Ashtiani was in a disadvantaged position as she does not speak the language of the court. Ms Astiani is a 43-year old mother of two children.

The execution of Mohammad Reza Haddadi has been scheduled for today, at earliest. We understand that he has been sentenced to death for a crime he allegedly committed while under the age of 18. According to Amnesty International Mohammad Reza Haddadi’s lawyer believes there is a significant risk his client may be executed in the very near future.

In strongest terms, we appeal for the stay of these executions.

Yours,

 Heidi Hautala

Chair of European Parliament Subcommittee on Human Rights

Barbara Lochbihler

Chair of the European Parliament Delegtion to Iran