Sakineh Ashtiani at imminent danger of execution - Authorities confirm arrest of her lawyer

Iran Human Rights, November 2: According to unconfirmed reports Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani (left), the 43 years old woman sentenced to death by stoning, could be at imminent danger of execution.

Iranian authorities have repeated their murder allegations against Sakineh Ashtiani during the past weeks. According to the daily newspaper Quds, Hassan Ghashghavi and Iranian foreign ministry official, said at a meeting that "Mrs. Sakineh Ashtiani is convicted of adultery and murder of her husband, and the family of the offended have requested (Qesas) retribution". He added:"Iran defends the victim and his family, while the West defends the offender".

On the other hand the Iranian authorities confirmed for the first time that Sakineh Ashtiani’s lawyer (Javid Houtan Kian) is in detention. Spokesman of the Judiciary and Iran’s chief prosecutor Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, said at a press conference yesterday that "the lawyer had three ID cards and his case is in relation with some counter-revolutionary exile groups and is under consideration".

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of Iran Human Rights expressed his concern about Mrs. Ashtiani’s situation and said: "The allegations by the Iranian authorities regarding Mr. Ashtiani’s murder conviction, and especially their claims about the family of the offended demanding retribution, are fabricated by the regime in order to make her execution more acceptable for the world community". He added:" The offended’s family are also Sakineh’s children, and they started the campaign to save their mother’s life, so how could they demand her execution?". He continued:"The signals sent by the Iranian authorities might indicate that Mrs. Ashtiani is at imminent danger of execution".

Regarding the arrest of Mrs. Ashtiani’s lawyer and son, Amiry-Moghaddam said:" There are no news about Mrs. Ashtiani’s son Sajjad, and her lawyer Javid Houtan Kian. Iranain authorities have for the first time confirmed that the lawyer is under detention, but we don’t know where and under what conditions they are right now".

Regarding the international attention around Mrs. Ashtiani’s case, Amiry-Moghaddam said: "It is thanks to the international pressure that Sakineh Ashtiani wasn’t stoned to death last summer, but unfortunately the attention around her case was temporary and we had earlier warned that once the attention is gone she will be at imminent danger of execution". "Where are all the leaders and the personalitis who spoke about Sakineh Ashtiani few months ago?" He asked.

"We ask the world community, the governments and the civil socity to give urgent attention to her case now. She is at imminent danger of execution and tomorrow could be too late" Amiry-Moghaddam ended.

Source: Iran Human Rights, November 2, 2010 - 

Ugandan paper ordered to stop publishing 'gay list'

Image source: Gay Uganda

(CNN) -- A judge has temporarily ordered a tabloid in Uganda to stop publishing lists identifying people it claims are gay after an advocacy organization filed a lawsuit.

The order came a day after Rolling Stone -- which has no relation to the iconic U.S. music magazine -- published a list of people it said were gay, urging readers to report them to police.

Last month the tabloid published names, photos and address of 100 people that it called the country's top gays and lesbians, alongside a yellow banner reading, "hang them."

In the temporary injunction issued on Monday, Justice Musoke Kibuuka ordered Rolling Stone from further publication of names or pictures of anyone "perceived by the respondents to be gay, lesbian, or homosexual in general."

The head of Sexual Minorities Uganda, which filed an invasion of privacy lawsuit against Rolling Stone, praised the judge's decision.

"This is a lesson. At least the law has shown some intelligence. It shows the media cannot invade other peoples' rights and violate other peoples' privacy," said Frank Mugisha, the organization's chairman.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for November 23, said Giles Muhame, the tabloid's managing editor.

"We will abide by the ruling and will not contest it. We were told we cannot publish any information that can lead to identification of homosexuals," he said. "Meantime, we shall continue condemning homosexuality, without publishing pictures."

Gay rights groups in Uganda have said at least four people have been attacked since the tabloid published its first list.

A bill that would make homosexuality potentially punishable by death is working its way through Uganda's parliament.

While extreme views to many, in Uganda even this sentiment holds some weight. Uganda is a mostly Christian country where local and international, particularly American, evangelicals hold great sway.

Just under two-thirds of Uganda's Christians favor making the Bible the law of the land, according to a huge study of religion in Africa by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

Together with Ugandan politicians and preachers, they have lobbied for greater punishments for gays.

Related blog: GAY UGANDA - Issues Concerning Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, Bisexual and other Sexual Minorities in Uganda and Africa

Source: CNN.com, November 2, 2010

Alabama has drug needed for Hallford execution

State prison officials say they have an adequate supply of the drug needed for the scheduled Thursday execution of Phillip Hallford. He was condemned to die for the 1987 shooting death of his pregnant daughter's boyfriend in Dale County.

Prison system spokesman Brian Corbett said the state has enough sodium thiopental to carry out the execution. A national shortage has delayed some executions in other states, and Arizona had to go overseas to obtain the drug for an execution last week.

The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way last month for the execution of the 63-year-old Hallford. Assistant Alabama Attorney General Clay Crenshaw said Monday there are no legal filings pending to stop the execution. Hallford's attorney, Andrew Kantra, said he was evaluating their options.

Hallford was sentenced to die for killing 16-year-old Eddie Shannon in Dale County.

Source: Associated Press, November 1, 2010

Iraqi forces storm church to end standoff; 37 killed

Iraqi safety forces stormed a Catholic minster Sunday where gunmen suspected of having tie to al Qaeda were holding worshippers captive, ending an hours-long standoff, police officials said Sunday.

Thirty-seven populace were killed in the operation, counting hostages, kidnappers and security workers, they said. At least seven of the victims were hostages, police officials said, while one more 57 were injured.

Eight suspect were under arrest.

"All the marks tip out that this incident carries the fingerprints of al Qaeda," Iraqi protection Minister Abdul Qader Obeidi said on state TV Sunday.

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Taliban briefly overrun east Afghanistan district

The Taliban temporarily overran an area seat in eastern Afghanistan, torching administration buildings and capture police officers after an intense fight, officials said Monday.

The government was back in manage of Ghazni province's Khogyani district headquarters a few hours later, said center Taliban Ministry spokesman Zemeri Bashary, who did not have any in sequence on casualties.

Narrow police Chief Mohammad Yasin, who wasn't there during the harass, said government buildings were capture and set on fire.

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US missile attack kills 5 in NW Pakistan

A U.S. drone assault killed five people in northwest Pakistan on Monday, local cleverness officials said, and the latest in a bombardment of such strikes against al-Qaida and Taliban militants that have long required asylum in the region.

Too in the northwest, four militants stormed a police multifaceted, killing two officers and gunmen attacked tankers transport fuel for NATO and US troops just across the border in Afghanistan, wounding a driver and his assistant, law enforcement said.

The Four American weaponry were fired at a house in North Waziristan, the vicinity that has seen the irresistible majority of attack over the last two months, said the officials, who did not give their names because the agency they work for does not allow its operatives to be recognized.

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Indonesian volcano unleashes new powerful eruption

Indonesia's the majority unstable volcano — one of 22 that have been more and more active — spewed searing vapors of gas and debris for hours Monday in its most commanding eruption in a deadly week. No new casualties were without delay report.

Hundreds of miles (kilometers) to the west, a break in the weather helped liberators acquire aid to victims of an 18-foot (six meter) -high tsunami that slam into several distant islands, sweeping complete village to sea.

The double disasters, unfolding at the same time on opposite ends of the seismically vigorous country, have killed nearly 500 people and sternly tested the government's urgent situation response network. In both events, the armed has been called in to help.

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