08/09/2010 President
Strasbourg, 08.09.2010 – Mevlüt Çavusoglu, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), today addressed a letter to Ali Larijani, President of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, calling on him to do his utmost for the death sentence against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani to be repealed.
“Many voices have been raised in defence of the life and dignity of Sakineh Ashtiani. Politicians, artists, intellectuals and simple citizens from all over the world have expressed their horror and consternation and asked the Iranian authorities to stop the mistreatment of this woman and spare her life.
I join them as President of an Assembly representing over 800 million European citizens and I appeal to you to do your utmost for this death sentence to be repealed. This inhuman sentence and the mistreatment that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is suffering cast a tragic shadow on your country”, PACE President wrote.
“I learn today that the sentence was suspended and it is being reviewed. It is very good news which I welcome as a step in the right direction. I express my hope that your country’s authorities go further and Sakineh is released. That would be a sign of good will and an encouragement for all those who want to cooperate with Iran, like we do”, he added.