Madam, – I wish to highlight the situation of Sakine Mohammedie Ashtiani, who has been sentenced by an Islamic court in Iran, to death by stoning for supposed adultery. Her execution may be carried out at any minute.
I believe the Irish Government should take an extraordinary stand against this insane practice; not only in relation this woman, who has already been punished barbarically for the same supposed “crime”, by having been whipped with 99 lashes; but for all those in that country who are in jeopardy of the same punishment (including a girl, who was only 15 at the time of the alleged “offence”).
All Irish people should do what they can to oppose this barbarity. And, if necessary, Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin should place his Iranian counterpart on notice that, if this sentence is carried out, full diplomatic relations should be suspended for a period of time. – Yours, etc,