Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani
| Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Səkinə Məhəmmədi Aştiani, سکینه محمدی آشتیانی; |
| Born | 1967-1968 Tabriz, Iran |
| Nationality | Iranian |
| Criminal charge | adultery, conspiracy to commit murder |
| Criminal penalty | death by stoning (commuted to 10 years in prison) |
| Criminal status | freed in 2014 |
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani (Azerbaijani: Səkinə Məhəmmədi Aştiani, Persian: سکینه محمدی آشتیانی; born 1967), is an Iranian Azeri woman who has gained the attention of human rights groups and people throughout the world for a conviction of adultery and accompanying sentence of death by stoning. Her sentence was commuted and she was freed in 2014 after nine years on death row.
Ashtiani is an Iranian Azeri born in Tabriz in the Persian calendar 1347 (1967-1968) and grew up in the rural town of Osku, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran. Sakineh worked outside her home for two years as a kindergarten teacher.
Ashtiani was arrested in 2005 on charges of adultery and conspiracy to commit murder in the death of her husband. In 2006, the court sentenced her to death by stoning after she was convicted. An international campaign to overturn her sentence was started by her children, Farideh and Sajjad Qaderzadeh, through a letter about their mother's case which is published by Mission Free Iran.
Prominent media sources picked up on the news via interviews with her son, which include information on her stoning sentence. The international publicity generated by Ashtiani's situation lead to numerous diplomatic conflicts between Iran's government and the heads of certain western governments. As a result, her execution has been stayed indefinitely. Shortly after the international campaign begins, various Iranian officials state that Ashtiani is also guilty of various charges related to the murder of her husband. The range of charges includes murder, manslaughter, conspiracy, and complicity. However, major human rights organizations such as Amnesty International, some NGOs and her lawyers have stated that Ashtiani was acquitted of murder, and that she initially received a 10-year sentence for complicity in murder and "disrupting the public order". It was reduced to five years on appeal. She was convicted twice of adultery in separate trials and sentenced to death by stoning.
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