FEWO Committee News Release
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Standing Committee on the Status of Women |
HOUSE OF COMMONS CHAMBRE DES COMMUNES OTTAWA, CANADA K1A 0A6 |
Comité permanent de la condition féminine |
For immediate release
NEWS RELEASE
Parliament Demands Stay of Execution in Iran
Ottawa, November 05, 2010 -
Yesterday, MPs from all political parties agreed unanimously, in the House of Commons, to have the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Speaker of the House demand, immediately, that the government of Iran permanently stay the execution of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and free her and her son from prison.
The motion was unanimously adopted earlier in the day by the Standing Committee on the Status of Women; deemed urgent and forwarded immediately to Parliament for unanimous agreement. It was presented to the House by the Chair of the Standing Committee, Hon. Hedy Fry, with the support of the Hon. Sylvie Boucher, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Status of Women, and Status of Women critics Nicole Demers (Bloc Québécois) and Irene Mathyssen (NDP).
"Today was the date set by the Iranian Government for the execution of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. The Committee recognised the urgency of this motion and the necessity for Canada to speak out against this ultimate violation of Ms. Ashtiani’s fundamental human rights," said Dr. Fry.
"Women from across Canada are joining together to condemn this denial of human rights, and I am proud that members from all parties on the Committee joined together today to express deep concern to the Government of Iran," said Sylvie Boucher, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Status of Women. "We remain deeply concerned with the serious human rights violations in Iran."
"Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani must not be executed by stoning or by any other means. The authorities must conduct a complete; impartial and independent review of her case. No more women must be killed. We urge Iran to live up to its international human rights commitments,” stated Nicole Demers, Bloc Québécois Status of Women critic.
“New Democrats condemn the barbarous practice of execution by any means and I am troubled by the lack of due process in Ms. Ashtiani’s case,” said Ms. Mathyssen. “Iran has failed once again to protect fundamental human rights of their own citizens, particularly women.”
“The international community, including Canada, has a moral obligation to make every effort to stop Ms. Ashtiani her from being hanged, and secure her release and that of her son” said Anita Neville, Liberal Critic for Status of Woman who brought the motion to the Standing Committee.
Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was found guilty of adultery by the Iranian Supreme Court in 2007 and sentenced to death by stoning. As of this release her execution has not yet been carried out.
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