IRAN. WOMAN'S DEATH PENALTY SUSPENDED IN HIGH PROFILE CASE

Kobra Rahmanpour

13 October 2006 :

the judiciary has suspended the hanging of Kobra Rahmanpour "while it waits for the husband's family to pardon her," said in an interview her attorney, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi. The 24-year-old woman was sentenced to death for the murder of her mother in law six years ago. "The execution order of the death sentence has not been signed by Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, the country's leading judiciaL authority," says Khorramshahi. The execution has been postponed twice but if Rahmanpour's family will not pardon her it will be inevitable, stressed the attorney, calling for international help.
"International solidarity for this young woman who has been awaiting death for six years has been essential in Shahroudi's decision but now the international public opinion must address its attention and pressure on the family of the deceased as they hold the keys to Kobra's cell," the attorney said. "It is first of all necessary to convince Kobra's sisters in law that this woman was not the executioner but a victim and persuade them to forgive her."
The attorney said he is extremely worried by Kobra's health: "Six years spent closed in a cell while waiting to be hanged isn't easy and this woman has serious psychological problems. She is extremely depressed and could get worse if she will not be freed in time and returned to her family."
 

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