Iran

Integration of the human rights of women and a gender perspective: Violence against women. Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, Its Causes and Consequences: Mission to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

This report contains the findings of the mission of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, to the Islamic Republic of Iran, which took place from 29 January to 6 February 2005.

"Islamic Republic of Iran and Execution for Adultery and Homosexuality"

Eghtedari looks at the punishments for adultery and homosexuality using a primarily human rights based perspective. It can be stated that the Islamic Republic's penal code is in contradiction with the International Bill of Human Rights at least according to the following criteria:

“Practice of the Stoning is in Our Laws: Interview with Shirin Ebadi”

In this interview with Nobel Prize Winner, Shirin Ebadi discusses stoning from both a human rights and religious point of view. With regards to human rights, she points out the hypocrisy in Iranian law in that the crime of homicide is legally less severe than the crime of adultery. She also explains that most religious leaders believe there are two kinds of Islamic Laws: constitutional laws and laws that are endorsed. Stoning is one of the endorsement laws, meaning that fourteen century ago stoning was a common punishment for adultery and Islam also endorsed it.

“Hajieh to be the first saved from stoning”

Behareh Davalloo was the lawyer of Hajieh Esmalivand, a woman who was sentenced to stoning in 2006. Davalloo was also the director of the Independent Society of Attorneys, and member of the Network of Volunteer Lawyers, the Women’s Centre for Legal Counseling, and the Stop Stoning Forever Campaign. Davalloo represented Hajieh since August 19, 2006, and was able to schedule a retrial on November 7, 2006. She had been in prison for seven years awaiting a stoning sentence for adultery.

“Iran’s Senior Clerics Say Death by Stoning Could be Stopped”

This article states that the prominent cleric Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi issued a fatwa stating that stoning was not the only punishment for adultery, opening the path for parliamentary efforts to ban the practice.

Human rights questions: Human rights situations and reports of special rapporteurs and representatives. Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Important in this document is Part C on “Torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of punishment.” Paragraph 32 notes 4 cases in the previous 18 months from the time of writing (1997). Paragraph 33 concerns the rarity of stoning: “It may be replied that stoning happens very rarely in the Islamic Republic of Iran and certainly not in the major cities. The Special Representative believes that for it to happen at all is unsustainable both legally and morally.

“Concluding observations: The Islamic Republic of Iran”

In this report, the Committee makes several notes with regards to stoning.

“In Imam’s opinion, a circular was issued to ban stoning. Interview with Ayatollah Musavi Bojnourdi”

Ayatollah Musavi Bojnourdi, a high ranking Muslim jurisprudent and former member of the Supreme Judicial Council of Iran (1980-1987), argues here that stoning is an invalid, non-Quranic tradition. He claims that in 1981, Ayatollah Khomeini had issued an official circular by which he prohibited judges from issuing stoning sentences.

“European Parliament motion for a resolution on the death penalty in Iran”

Paragraph 10, part 8 states that while the European Parliament welcomed the announcement by the Head of the Judiciary in 2008 of the suspension of stoning as a means of execution, it is still concerned that stoning remains under the Penal Code and calls on the Members of the Majlis (parliament) to commit themselves to the complete abolition of stoning.

“The Regime must decide: Interview with Ayatollah Mohammad Hassan Marashi Shushtari”

Ayatollah Mohammad Hassan Marashi Shushtari, a prominent Shia criminal jurisprudent and the former deputy of judicial affairs of the Head of the Judiciary in Iran, supports the traditional doctrine of ‘Non-Applicability of Hodud’, including stoning and other corporal punishment, in our time. [Persian]