Vatican is trying to save Iranian woman - Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani from her stoning ordeal
September 6th, 2010 - 8:34 pm ICT by Aishwarya Bhatt
Vatican City, Sep 6 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The head of the Roman Catholic Pope Benedict XVI said on the Sunday that they might try to persuade Tehran to halt the stoning of an alleged adulterous woman who has been handed that sentence. This is the first time the Vatican has said anything about the case. They also condemned stoning as an inhumane punishment.
Rev. Federico Lombardo who represents the Vatican said the church sees no reason why any one should be sentenced to death, no matter what the circumstances are.
The woman in question is Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani who was found guilty of adultery 4 years ago and sentenced to death through stoning but her sentence hasn’t been carried out yet. The Iranian authorities however stated in July that she might be hanged for her offences.
Sajad, Ms. Ashtiani’s son stated in an interview with Adnkronos that he was relying on the Vatican and Italy to help get his mum off the hook.
Fr. Lombardi denied knowledge of any official appeal to the Vatican but stated that the Pope will do all he can to help get a reprieve for Ashtiani. “When the Holy See is asked, in an appropriate way, to intervene in humanitarian issues with the authorities of other countries, as it has happened many times in the past, it does so not in a public way, but through its own diplomatic channels,” according to a statement by Lombardi.
- Vatican Making Diplomatic Moves To Save Iranian Woman From Stoning - Sep 06, 2010
- Vatican Hopes to Save Iranian Woman from Stoning Death Sentence - Sep 06, 2010
- Vatican In Contact With Iran To Save Iranian Woman From Stoning - Sep 06, 2010
- Iranian 'stoning to death' widow says false sentence due to her being a woman - Aug 07, 2010
- Iran imposes media blackout over woman facing stoning sentence - Jul 10, 2010
- Brazil President offers asylum to potential Iran stoning victim Ashtiani - Aug 02, 2010
- Iran's media denies reports of 'stoning to death' woman's release - Dec 10, 2010
- Iranian woman, to be stoned to death, may get hanged - Dec 26, 2011
- Iran foreign ministry puts stoning of adulterous woman on hold - Sep 08, 2010
- Iranian 'adultress' to be executed Wednesday - Nov 02, 2010
- Iranian woman on death row disallowed to meet kids - Sep 12, 2010
- Celebrities sign open letter urging Iran to release 'death by stoning' woman - Dec 14, 2010
- Iran stoning woman 'not about to be hanged' - Dec 29, 2011
- Rights groups slam Iranian TV over 'death by stoning' woman's fake confession at home - Dec 11, 2010
- Iran woman sentenced to death by stoning not allowed to see kids - Sep 11, 2010
Tags: adnkronos, adulterous woman, adultery, benedict xvi, diplomatic channels, federico lombardo, hook, humanitarian issues, inhumane punishment, iranian authorities, iranian woman, lombardi, ordeal, pope benedict, pope benedict xvi, reprieve, roman catholic pope, tehran, vatican, vatican city