Vatican says stoning in Iran adultery case 'brutal'
MSNBC
05-Sep-2010 (3 comments)

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on Sunday raised the possibility of using behind-the-scenes diplomacy to try to spare the life of an Iranian widow sentenced to be stoned for adultery.
In its first public statement on the case, which has attracted worldwide attention, the Vatican also decried stoning as a particularly "brutal" form of capital punishment.
Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said the Catholic church opposes the death penalty in general.
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was convicted in 2006 of adultery. In July, Iranian authorities said they would not carry out the stoning sentence for the time being, but the mother of two could still face execution by hanging for adultery and other offenses.
Her son, Sajad, told the Italian news agency Adnkronos that he was appealing to Pope Benedict XVI and to Italy to work to stop the execution.
Lombardi told The Associated Press that no formal appeal had reached the Vatican, but hinted that Vatican's diplomacy might be employed to try to save Ashtiani.
Lombardi said in a statement that the Holy See "is following the case with attention and interest."

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Shifteh Ansari

Move over Carla, the Pope now supports Sakineh

by Shifteh Ansari on Sun Sep 05, 2010 12:09 PM PDT

I wonder what they would call the Pope now!


Balatarin
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Fair

Is the pope promiscuous too?

by Fair on Sun Sep 05, 2010 10:40 PM PDT

Thank you Shifteh for sharing.  The international pressure needs to be kept up on these rapist barbarians who commit heinous crimes in the name of Allah.  Who else stones somebody or lashes somebody for anything in 2010?


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yolanda

.....

by yolanda on Sun Sep 05, 2010 01:19 PM PDT

Thank you for posting the Ashtiani news article......I am glad this story does not go away........Ashtiani's son, Sajad, is so brave and tenacious.......he is trying everything to save his mom! Very courageous young man! I hope he can be reunited with his mom soon!


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