Iran human rights chief defends stoning sentence

Mohammad Javad Larijani

Head of Human Rights Headquarters of Iran's Judiciary, Mohammad Javad Larijani slammed Western protests against stoning emphasizing that stoning exists in Iran’s constitution and it is “legal.”

He responded to the recent campaign in international media backed by Western politicians to stop the stoning sentence of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, saying that Iran’s judicial system will not change its direction because of “Western attacks” and “media pressures.”

These statements come after that Iranian Embassy in London issued a statement saying that the stoning sentence of Sakineh Mohammadi will not be carried out.

Mohammad Javad Larijani backed the stoning sentence of Sakineh Mohammadi claiming her judicial file has gone through its “natural” course and there is no “point of doubt” about anything in her file.

He states that she was sentenced to 90 lashes in one trial and “stoning” in another trial.

Larijani told IRNA that in recent years “the sacred sentences of Islam” have been the subject of “Western attacks” but Iranian judges continue to issue their sentences according to the “law” despite all these pressures.

Iran is one of the few countries that still issues death by stoning sentences. The sentence is issued for married individuals who have been charged with having sexual relations outside their marriage.

Iranian human rights activists have consistently fought to halt stoning sentences in Iran and to scrap the law from the Iranian judicial system.