France says Iranian woman not yet executed

[News_Editor]

France says Iranian woman not yet executed

2010-11-03 21:00:35 GMT+7 (ICT)

TEHRAN, IRAN (BNO NEWS) -- The execution of Iranian woman Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, has not yet happened despite authorities previously approving her death, French officials said Wednesday.

"Manouchehr Mottaki assured me that Iranian legal authorities had not yet reached a verdict in the affair concerning Sakineh Ashtiani had not been reached by the Iranian legal authorities and that the information on her alleged execution did not correspond to reality," French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said.

Ashtiani, in 2006 was sentenced to death twice by two courts in two separate trials. The first sentence to death by hanging stemmed from her involvement in the murder of her husband in the northwestern city of Tabriz.

After this conviction, Ashtiani was then sentenced to death by hanging as she was later accused of being involved with two different men after her husband's murder a year before.

This week, Iranian authorities approved the execution, saying it could be carried out as early as Wednesday, but after these reports, officials have not yet commented on the case, which has caused international outrage.

"In line with my previous statements and the European Parliament's resolutions, I strongly oppose Ms. Ashtiani's death sentence," said Jerzy Buzek, President of the European Parliament. "The Iranian authorities should now use this occasion to review her case in a fair and transparent trial."

"The conduct of the Iranian authorities is unacceptable. The arbitrary nature of this judiciary procedure shows that, instead of fairness based on the rule of law the authorities in Iran can still treat people like subjects rather than citizens," Buzek added.

In midst of international criticism, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast had previously stated that if releasing a culprit found guilty of murder becomes a matter of human rights, European countries could release all imprisoned murderers.

"[The international media] has tried to exploit this case, politicize it and turn it into a political charade," Mehmanparast added. "Our country has been under a lot of political pressure by the U.S. and other Western countries over its nuclear work," he continued, saying that Ashtiani's case is being used to pressure Iran on other matters.

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