Iranians suspend death by stoning

Iran's has suspended the punishment of death by stoning, state media say.


A judiciary spokesman said four people sentenced to die by stoning had had their sentences commuted and that all other cases had been put under review.

Lawyers and human rights campaigners have said at least eight women and a man are awaiting the punishment.

Stoning is the penalty for crimes such as adultery under Iranian law, but it is rarely carried out. The last such execution was reportedly last year.

Amnesty International called on Iran in January to abolish what it called a "horrific practice, designed to increase the suffering" of those condemned.

The country's penal code stipulates that before carrying out the punishment, men should be buried up to their waists and women up to their chests. The stones used must be large enough to cause the condemned pain, but not sufficient to kill immediately.

Amnesty also said a disproportionate number of those sentenced to death by stoning were women because they were not treated equally before the law and were particularly vulnerable to unfair trials.

'Under review'
Three people are said to have been stoned for adultery since a moratorium was called in 2002 by the judiciary chief, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi.


The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says this is because the authorities have been reluctant to completely abolish a penalty they say is endorsed by Islamic law.

Although stoning is not prescribed in the Koran, some Muslim scholars say it is in the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad.

Nevertheless, an Iranian judiciary spokesman said the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had commuted the sentences of two people to 10 years in jail. Two others would receive lashes, he said.

"The issued verdicts for all of these cases will not be carried out for now," Alireza Jamshidi said, according to Iranian state media.

"In a few other cases, these people have asked for forgiveness and their request... is under review," he added.
Human rights campaigners recently warned that eight women aged between 27 and 43 were sentenced to death by stoning for convictions including prostitution, incest and adultery. A 50-year-old male music teacher was condemned to a similar fate for having sex with one of his students.

Quote: Originally Posted by missile

They're only waiting for the next shipment of stones to arrive.

Quote: Originally Posted by talloola

Wonder what they did to the student who had sex with her teacher, as it seems most
times they blame the woman, when they are raped. What an assanine country, they
are so backward in their laws, which are held up from some prehistoric religious leader
from long ago. It would be nice to see them progress a little, along with their neighbours.

And, Canada is the opposite, as the criminals seem to get more consideration than the victim.

Quote: Originally Posted by Praxius

That was quite the turn around comment. You complained about their backwards way of life (Which is kinda obvious, since they're an Islamic Nation, while ours has been founded mostly by Chrisitans) and how they are harsh with their criminal penalties.... then complain about how little we do towards our criminals.



In all honesty, any nation that doesn't line up with our way of life is of course... backwards. I'm sure they all think the same way about our own.

Quote: Originally Posted by talloola

The above is your comment, not mine, too generalized, I don't talk about they all, or we all.

That's right, one extreme to the other, don't agree with either one.

Quote: Originally Posted by missile

They're only waiting for the next shipment of stones to arrive.

Quote: Originally Posted by talloola

Wonder what they did to the student who had sex with her teacher, as it seems most
times they blame the woman, when they are raped. What an assanine country, they
are so backward in their laws, which are held up from some prehistoric religious leader
from long ago. It would be nice to see them progress a little, along with their neighbours.

The country's penal code stipulates that before carrying out the punishment, men should be buried up to their waists and women up to their chests. The stones used must be large enough to cause the condemned pain, but not sufficient to kill immediately.

Quote: Originally Posted by dancing-loon

Just to bring you all down to Western reality...

The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate, and total documented prison population in the world. As of year-end 2006, a record 7.2 million people were behind bars, on -- or on --. Of the total, 2.2 million were incarcerated. More than 1 in 100 American adults were incarcerated at the start of 2008. The -- ranks second with 1.5 million, despite having over four times the population of the US.

Quote: Originally Posted by #juan

What fool wrote that little literary gem. Perhaps they could give each stone thrower a little tape measure to make sure he was throwing the right size stones. I watched a video of a woman being stoned and there was no visible discipline. The stone throwers started throwing from fifteen or twenty feet but soon they were almost on top of her, yelling and screaming and driving rocks into her. A least a few of the executioners were injured by thrown rocks. An insane practice no matter how you look at it.

Quote: Originally Posted by talloola

yes, and insane is very correct. people who would do things like that in this country would
be given a test to see if they know 'right from wrong', as they are probably crazy in the
head, and that is what they are, they don't have the sense to get rid of laws that were
so over the top, that in todays thinking, completely 'insane'.

Quote: Originally Posted by L Gilbert

Yeah, "barbaric" might be a nicer term. A more scientific and descriptive term would be "subhuman". Kind of along the lines of "troglodyte".

Quote: Originally Posted by dancing-loon

I've read that stoning has become rare in the last couple of years due to public outcry and revolts. It's up to the people to get rid of this "barbaric" practice. If they would stop behaving like sheep they could change their legal system.

BUT... it is always easy to point the finger at other societies and call them backwards. I would like to know what you call the American torture practices, bringing people to near death and often enough these poor souls die during the procedures. Is there a fitting name for it?

BUT.... since it is the Americans, trying to "save American lives", it is justified and we accept it as a necessity in the "war on terror". (Reminder: The Canadian sheep obediently crossed the US and Israel off the list of torturing countries!) Ba Ba....

Quote: Originally Posted by Praxius

Ah, the good ol' "Better then other humans" mentality.... which lives in a society that has revolving doors for sex offenders and pedophiles.... yeah, you got your priorities set straight.

Quote: Originally Posted by Nuggler

BUT.... since it is the Americans, trying to "save American lives", it is justified and we accept it as a necessity in the "war on terror". (Reminder: The Canadian sheep obediently crossed the US and Israel off the list of torturing countries!) Ba Ba...."""

Bullsh!t!!! The Canadian Harpo regime maybe, but most Canadians I know are thoroughly P.O'd with this crap.- war in Iraq, Affie, torture, stripping of our freedoms, Israel doing the war dance:........The worm shall turn sooner or later. Probably later, as we as a people, do accept a lot of "stuff" before we say NO!!.........But we do say no, and it will come.

BTW, if it wasn't for the Canadian "sheep" you might not be in Canada now.........?......... Maybe Russia would have been more to your liking, or Romania, whatever.

Golly, it was worth taking you off "ignore" just to rebut you one time........You certainly do occupy a different space..........enjoy.

Back you go.

Quote: Originally Posted by L Gilbert

I'm not happy with some of the sentences handed out by judges either. But, as much as I like punishment fitting the crime, death is pretty merciful for people who rape and molest. I used to think death would be appropriate for people like Olsen, but I don't anymore. I kinda like the idea of inprisonment until death. When they can sit in prison (which can't be all that fun) for the remainder of their life and be aware that there is so much more outside, their life must seem a bit annoying at times. I think people like that are seeking some level of control over others (albeit a really twisted form of control), and when they are imprisoned, it is they who are being controlled. That can't sit too well with them.

Quote: Originally Posted by talloola

I agree with you in principle, but in Olsen's case, he is being allowed to harrass and bother
parents of his victims from prison. He is allowed to sell porn on the internet, and he makes porn pictures and writes the name of a parent of one of his victims on the genital
area, and other stuff, I listened to an interview with a parent the other day on the radio.
They (in prison) can't be bothered trying to stop him, cause they get interferred with,
by legal red tape.

Quote: Originally Posted by talloola

I agree with you in principle, but in Olsen's case, he is being allowed to harrass and bother
parents of his victims from prison. He is allowed to sell porn on the internet, and he makes porn pictures and writes the name of a parent of one of his victims on the genital
area, and other stuff, I listened to an interview with a parent the other day on the radio.
They (in prison) can't be bothered trying to stop him, cause they get interferred with,
by legal red tape.

Quote: Originally Posted by L Gilbert

I'm not happy with some of the sentences handed out by judges either. But, as much as I like punishment fitting the crime, death is pretty merciful for people who rape and molest. I used to think death would be appropriate for people like Olsen, but I don't anymore. I kinda like the idea of inprisonment until death. When they can sit in prison (which can't be all that fun) for the remainder of their life and be aware that there is so much more outside, their life must seem a bit annoying at times. I think people like that are seeking some level of control over others (albeit a really twisted form of control), and when they are imprisoned, it is they who are being controlled. That can't sit too well with them.

Quote: Originally Posted by gopher

Which is more humane --- China or Iran?