Stoning in the Dark

The stoning verdict of Jafar Kiani, which was halted by the direct orders of the head of the judiciary, was carried out in Takistan on Thursday. [Roozonline had published an unconfirmed report on Sunday about Kiani’s stoning.]

On Monday, two official publications inside Iran confirmed the news of Kiani’s stoning: Etemad Melli daily and Roozna website.

Etemad Melli daily reported, “The stoning verdict of one of the convicted individuals in Takistan’s stoning case was carried out on Thursday in public, despite the head of judiciary’s orders to halt the punishment. The stoning verdict of these two individuals, who have been behind bars for the past 11 years, was scheduled to take place at Takistan’s cemetery on Khordad 31 [June 21]. On Wednesday, Khordad 30 [June 20], the head of the judiciary, Hashemi Shahroudi, ordered a stay of execution until the review of the case was completed.”

The news of the stoning caused an uproar on Farsi-language blogs.

Asieh Amini, a human rights journalist, wrote on her blog, “No good official news arrived today. Unofficial news points to Jafar’s stoning at a small village called Aghche Kand. Unfortunately, I could not hear much from Mr. Ghasemi, the head of Qazvin province’s judiciary, except his suggestion that I should get my answers from the judiciary’s spokesperson. The news is disappointing. Perhaps we should be happy that ordinary people did not attend the ceremony. But what about the fact that ordinary people could not announce that they didn’t want these individuals to be stoned? Should we cry? All day long today we were on the verge of tears. The situation is disappointing and I am sad to say it. I despise writing about hopelessness. But you can’t expect more when I don’t feel well and I have to write. But I ask all, all, all people who can prevent even a single rock from being thrown with one word – I ask them all to announce that this verdict ‘must not’ be carried out for Mokarrameh, Jafar’s “accomplice”, who is facing the same fate. Mokarrameh’s attorney said that she has two children, both of whom are in prison with her!”

A social activist and journalist, Fahimeh Khazr Heidari also wrote on her blog, “Last week I was speaking to some female lawmakers about stoning and legal reform. They said, ‘Stoning is no longer carried out in our country.’ I responded, ‘Maybe it is not carried out, but verdicts are passed and the law recognizes stoning as a punishment. So something must be done about reforming these laws.’ They said, “No, don’t worry, as long as Mr. Shahroudi heads the judiciary no one will be stoned.’ I said, ‘So what if Mr. Shahroudi is not present one day? Then what?’ They said, ‘Then we will be alongside you and no one will be stoned.’ Only a few days have passed since that conversation.”

Maryam Akbari wrote on her blog, “As everyone was pursuing Mokarrameh Ebrahimi’s case, Jafar Kiani was under a barrage of stones. When everyone was after Mokarrameh’s case no one remembered Jafar Kiani and that he too needed defense. But when we heard the news about his stoning we were stunned. We couldn’t believe it.”

The convicted individuals in this case were 43 year-old Mokarrameh and 47 year-old Jafar Kiani. They both abandoned their families in 1374 [1995], left their residences in Islamshahr and began a new life in Takistan which lasted for only four and half years.