Iran stoning woman ‘confession’, not freedom

Reports last night suggested that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, sentenced to death by stoning for adultery, and her son had been freed in Iran. Photographs were sent around the world of the pair in their home.

However it has emerged that she may actually have been taken out of prison in order to record a “confession”, which will be broadcast on Iran’s state-run Press TV tonight.

On its website, Press TV said: “Contrary to a vast publicity campaign by Western media that confessed murderer Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has been released, a team of broadcast production team with the Iran-based Press TV has arranged with Iran’s judicial authorities to follow Ashtiani to her house to produce a visual recount of the crime at the murder scene.”

The “Iran Today” programme on Ms Mohammadi Ashtiani’s case will be broadcast tonight, GMT 8.35pm.

Rumours not accurate

Amnesty International spokesman Steve Ballinger told Channel 4 News: “The rumours that she has been released don’t seem accurate. It looks likely that she has been taken home to make a TV confession – but digging out accurate information is very difficult because everyone who really knows is in prison.”

“We have very serious concerns over broadcasting a taped TV confession midway through a judicial process which could decide whether she lives or dies. It’s outrageous.” Amnesty International spokesman Steve Ballinger.

Her son, lawyer, and two German journalists covering the story have been imprisoned over the Iran stoning case at different intervals.

Mr Ballinger added: “We have very serious concerns over broadcasting a taped TV confession midway through a judicial process which could decide whether she lives or dies. It’s outrageous and it’s very hard to believe it will help her get a fair trial.”

On its website, Press TV said: “Iran has cited political motives behind the Western propaganda effort regarding the legal ruling against Mohammadi-Ashtiani, arguing that the publicity scheme is part of a Western campaign to undermine the Islamic Republic establishment.”

Confession under duress

Mohammadi Ashtiani was convicted of adultery and involvement in the murder of her husband Ibrahim Asgharzadeh in 2007. She has confessed to the crimes before, but retracted the confession. In a TV confession broadcast in November, with her face extremely blurred, the 43-year old described herself as a “sinner” but international human rights groups said the confession was made under duress.

Read more on Iran stoning: the victims, the survivors, and the condemned 

An international campaign to save her life seemed to make some headway earlier this year when the row over stoning the Iranian woman sparked a retreat from the Iranian Government. However, they only said she would no longer be executed by stoning, and did not say she would not be executed.

Amnesty International and other human rights groups told Channel 4 News they were trying to find out more about what was happening in Iran ahead of the broadcast tonight, but Ms Mohammadi Ashtiani’s future currently remains unclear.