Clinton Issues Statement on Ashtiani Death Sentence
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed concern today over reports that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, an Iranian woman accused of murder and adultery, will still face execution. Her statement may signal a greater focus on humanitarian conditions in Iran from the State Department.
I am deeply troubled by reports that Iranian authorities are finalizing plans to execute Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. Iran’s leaders have failed once again to protect the fundamental rights of their own citizens, particularly women. Ms. Ashtiani’s case has not proceeded with the transparency and due process guaranteed under Iranian law, and we are concerned about reports of coerced confessions and other mistreatment. The United States joins the international community in calling for Iran to immediately halt any plans for Ms. Ashtiani’s execution and to handle her case with utmost transparency.
In late September, President Obama signed an Executive Order that imposed sanctions on Iranian officials who had participated in human rights abuses.
This past October, Green movement leader and former presidential candidate Mehdi Karroubi told the New Yorker’s Laura Secor that while the movement would “avoid any dependence on other countries,” he also emphasized that, “if [foreign countries] feel a humanitarian obligation to support us, that is another thing.”
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