Brazil Offers Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani Safe Haven, Asks Iran To Allow It

SAO PAULO — Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva offered on Saturday to provide refuge to a woman who has been sentenced to death in Iran following her conviction for committing adultery.

The case created an international outcry when Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani initially was sentenced to death by stoning. Iran withdrew that part of the sentence earlier this month, but the mother of two could still face execution by hanging.

During a campaign rally for his party's presidential candidate, Silva appealed to Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, "to allow Brazil to grant political asylum to this woman."

"If she is causing problems there, we will welcome her here," Silva added, according to Brazil's official news service, Agencia Brasil.

Silva's government has built closer relations with Tehran in recent years. Brazil worked with Turkey earlier this year to work out a proposal aimed at resolving Iran's dispute with the West over its nuclear program.

The plan called for Iran to exchange uranium for nuclear reactor fuel rods, but the proposal didn't meet U.N. Security Council demands that Iran halt its uranium enrichment. The Security Council approved a fourth round of sanctions on Iran in the dispute, and the United States and European Union later imposed their own additional sanctions.

The U.S. and its allies accuse Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover for developing atomic weapons. Iran denies doing that, saying its program is intended for peaceful purposes such as electricity production.

Comments

[indoandcanadian]

06:49 PM on 08/02/2010

People of Brazil----I always liked you –and not just because of Adriana Lima and the best MMA guys—if this actually happens, you would go up another few points up in my book!

[PtownBen]

04:49 PM on 08/02/2010

Pretty soon, she will be running around the beaches in Sao Paulo wearing nothing but a thong. She can take as many Diks as she wishes in Brazil.

[marioabramo]

06:19 PM on 08/02/2010

Yes, this will be very nice to see, since the nearest beach to São Paulo is about 50 km away. Of course, she'll be able to wear a burqa till there. And in some beachs, still very few, she'll be able to wear nothing at all. But, if and only if she wants to. And still, she will be able to pray to whatever god she likes. God, Jeovah, Allah, or the orixás from Candomblé or the caboclos from Umbanda. Or Budah. Or to none. Again, if she wishes, and only if she whishes.

[dogman44]

04:48 PM on 08/02/2010

I hope she and her kids get to go to Brazil. What a turn about that would be for her. Going from
a culture of violent sexual repression to one where sexual expression is concidered quite normal
and healthy.

[FINN76]

02:10 PM on 08/02/2010

Trade in that burkha for a thong!!!

[Antonio518]

12:05 PM on 08/02/2010

How many weeks are you goig to run this non-story? What part of "propaganda" don't you understand?

[jaysan]

05:15 PM on 08/03/2010

how do you feel this is propaganda?

see, this is what I mean by the fact that "liberals" have really slid into an abyss because of their mad mania over George W Bush. If Bush had condemned Jack the Ripper, then you'd see "liberals" of various stripes defiantly praising Jack the Ripper.

anti-Bushism, and its automatic embrace of any thug who disagrees with Bush, is not a credible ideology in and of itself.

This poor lady is going to be stoned to death - such a cruel and barbaric crime - and all some "liberals" can do is demand that it not be discussed, or even thought of.

I'm disgusted, and I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling that way.

[Hassan shoja]

11:46 AM on 08/02/2010

I hope Iran deport her to Brazil, that would be the best outcome.

Here are two good links to learn about Iran, they are updated with new programs each week.

http://www.presstv.ir/Programs/detail.aspx?sectionid=3510515

http://www.presstv.ir/Programs/detail.aspx?sectionid=3510506

There is a difference between Islamic laws and western laws specially for pardoning a person for murder.

She was not quited for the murder charges by court and was sentence to death for murder by court but Islamic law allows for pardoning in murder cases by people who has suffered most.

We have to understand that her death sentencing was not only for adultery and in a western countries she would be at least gotten life sentence for killing the husband in a way that was too graphic to be disclosed.

We should know little bit back ground information about Islamic laws applicable in this case.

Read this post to get more background info,

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Hassan_shoja/iran-stoning-sentence-sti_n_641969_53566982.html

From the link below.

“"In the first place, the allegation was murder," the lawyer told Babylon & Beyond. "She was accused of killing her husband, but as her children forgave her ... she was pardoned and there was no more allegation against her. But to complicate the case, the court raised the issue of adultery."

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2010/07/iran-stoning-sakineh-ashtiani.html

[wereeverywhere]

07:17 PM on 08/03/2010

You are lying. What you're quoting is PressTV, the propaganda arm of IRI where record number of journalists are jailed. She was sentenced to be stoned for adultery. She was tortured already for adultery, given 99 lashes by your friends. On the 15th July Amnesty released its latest statement, meaning they were aware of the various statements. They reiterate:

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE13/077/2010/en/74790acb-477a-4993-bb67-059bd26abd1e/mde130772010en.html
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was convicted in May 2006 of having an “illicit relationship” with two men and received 99 lashes as her sentence. Despite this, she was then also convicted of “adultery while being married", which she has denied, and sentenced to death by stoning.

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, a 43-year-old mother of two, is held on death row in Tabriz Prison, north-west Iran, and could still face execution. Around 7 July, following international protests, officials in Tabriz asked the head of Iran’s judiciary to agree that her sentence of stoning to death be converted to execution by hanging.

[wereeverywhere]

07:23 PM on 08/03/2010

IRI is conducting a misinformation campaign, which you are propagating, or trying to but consider yourself outed. She was tortured already and sentenced to be stoned. Her lawyer was detained once at Evin, then had his family kidnapped by IRI. One of her children was also detained for daring to get international support for his Mom so she wouldn't be stoned. Your conduct trying to distort for these people is astounding.

[tonygumbrell]

09:47 AM on 08/02/2010

Thank you Brazil, and good for you.

[evagorman]

01:16 AM on 08/02/2010

Very nice gesture by Brazil but I do not see the Mullahs letting her go.

[Hassan shoja]

03:17 AM on 08/02/2010

They might do it, but even if they allow her to go to Brazil you will not find out about it in western media.

Anything positive about Iran will not be reflected in MIC controlled western media and anything negative will be exaggerated.

If you know the real story of Sakineh, you see that all of her crimes were not reported in western media to pretend that she is only sentenced for adultery.

[NonNativeIndian]

04:42 AM on 08/02/2010

what else is she guilty of?

[Judithbjini]

07:38 AM on 08/02/2010

links to some of the non-western media stories you allege we're missing out on about "all of her crimes" would really spice up this comment.

[Sam Baxter]

12:39 PM on 08/02/2010

God point. It might start a rash of adultery-- people trying to get out of Iran any way they can.

[Murphdogg]

03:46 PM on 08/02/2010

That's funny. First Fan.

[jedwightn]

11:53 PM on 08/01/2010

You go Brazil! But she'll need another costume for Carnival.

[marcehole]

10:25 PM on 08/01/2010

The whole world should be stepping in... not just Brazil. It is high time that a world government puts the this sort of civil liberty abuse to rest. I don't buy into the whole 'my country therefore my laws'. Just because this occurs within certain 'borders' is no reason for the world to allow this sort of blatant civilian abuse.

[ANP]

11:20 PM on 08/01/2010

I agree!

[ailbhe]

12:55 AM on 08/02/2010

World government? Run by who exactly? I don't want my country run by you Americans, or the Russians or the Iranian mullahs, I vote for my politicians and can vote them out if I dislike their actions, that is democracy. I don't want other peoples cultural mores inflicted on me.

It is up to the Iranians to overthrow their government if they don't like it, when they succeed, the tyranny of the last thirty years will be so imprinted on them they will likely have no tolerance for religious nuts in the future because they will won't want a repeat.

Cultures evolve over time, people are responsible for their own societies and communities, that is all you can control, your silly attempts to imperialise others 'to save them' will always result in backlash.
Iraq?

[CJCalgirl]

01:57 AM on 08/02/2010

ailbhe. Fanned! You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT! We should TALK to them. This idea of 'punishing' through sanctions doesn't work. Never has. We get some crazy idea that we can 'twist arms' without thinking how WE would like it. That poor woman is just one of many, many women who are persecuted. We need to reach the decision makers with something other than economic threats.

[merger]

09:24 PM on 08/01/2010

It is a very nice and charitable offer, but hell will freeze over before Iran allows that.

[hauruck]

10:49 PM on 08/01/2010

They might well allow it, just to get the spotlight of shame off of them.

[notpearceoritalianwine]

08:00 PM on 08/01/2010

Are you people NUTS! The LAST THING Iran wants is this woman free in the West to speak up about what is going on there! What will Iran do? Kill her family if she talks freely? That would be even WORSE pr for Iran! This ploy by Brazil is a bad joke...it's like an American politician voting against a bill even though he/she KNOWS it's going to pass! Brazil can make this offer...because it KNOWS it will NEVER take place!

[sulalives]

07:41 PM on 08/01/2010

"Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva offered on Saturday to provide refuge to a woman who has been sentenced to death in Iran following her conviction for committing adultery..." NOW THIS IS NEWS WE CAN SUPPORT...HOPE IRAN IS LISTENING WHAT A PUBLIC AFFAIRS GOOD WELL JESTURE

[notpearceoritalianwine]

08:00 PM on 08/01/2010

You got sucked in! It will NEVER happen!

[capnamerca]

09:09 PM on 08/01/2010

Lula is always making noise. Trying to cement his legacy as the greatest, most benevolent politician of all time. Plenty of people fall for it, while the poor people of Brazil, especially the street children suffer indignities that most people wouldn't allow their dogs to suffer.

[jamespenido]

02:34 PM on 08/02/2010

Well,what chilfren street?-I have never seen them as a brazilian.So,get real.

[GEMELANOT]

05:33 PM on 08/01/2010

BRAVO BRAZIL

[mtaylor90028]

05:33 PM on 08/01/2010

hope they don't give Bush and Cheney Asylum when they get hauled to prison.

[Alonzo]

06:36 PM on 08/01/2010

You gotta give Brazil more credit than that.

[negogato]

08:04 PM on 08/01/2010

Bush brought a 100,000 acre "Ranch" in Paraguay in 2006, it is in fact quite close to the Brazilian border. It has its own airfeild capable of handling international flights. Military barracks for 400.
Paraguay - has a :special relationship" to international law.
cunning is not dumb

[isis]

08:39 PM on 08/01/2010

He has that much money? I thought he was just one of us.

[ROBINB72]

06:04 PM on 08/02/2010

Link?? Please.