EU: Suspension of Iran stoning case not enough
Associated Press, Brussels | Thu, 09/09/2010 5:26 PM
The European Union presidency has said that Iran's
suspension of a stoning sentence against a woman convicted of adultery is not
enough and demands it be completely overturned.
Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere of Belgium, which holds
the EU's rotating presidency, said Thursday that Iran's concession that the
punishment against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani could be eased did not meet the
human rights conditions the EU is insisting on.
He said the Belgian presidency would work hard "to
achieve that the punishment will be unequivocally repealed."
This week, several European Union nations and the
continent's biggest human rights organization have criticized Iran for its plan
to stone the 43-year-old mother of two even if Tehran has put the plan on hold
for now.
