Executions as a political weapon in the Islamic Republic of Iran

Lecture and discussion with Mina Ahadi

September 10, 2010, 7.00 pm

Haus der Demokratie und Menschenrechte

Greifswalderstr. 4, 10405 Berlin (Map)

The case of the Iranian woman Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani who was sentenced to death by stoning has led to protests and reports worldwide. Ms Ashtiani has already been tortured with 99 lashes and she is still threatened with execution. However, this is not an isolated case; executions rather belong to the political weapons of the Islamic Republic from the beginning on. Publicly celebrated stoning and executions by hanging are a display of power for the regime. Islamic customs are enforced especially against women and homosexuals by terror and every scope of culture described as “westernization” is fought. Even the political opposition is intimidated and weakened with murder and torture, infamous are for instance the prison massacres of 1988 for which numerous of today`s rulers are responsible for.

With the amount of the national mass protests after the election farce in June 2009 the number of death sentences and executions has drastically increased. Once again the Iranian liberation movement is to be smashed bloodily before the eyes of the world. In this context it will be of vital importance if also and foremost the German government will finally apply maximum pressure against the regime and will support the Iranian freedom movement or if German policy will be still committed to political, economical and cultural cooperation with the Islamic, anti-democratic and anti-Semitic terror regime.

Mina Ahadi is an exile-Iranian activist and amongst others founder of the International Committee against stoning as well as chairperson of the Central Council of the ex-Muslims. Currently she is responsible for an international campaign for saving the life of Sakineh Ashtiani (http://stopstoningnow.com).

Organized by the Berlin Coalition against Stoning and Executions