A 26-year old Iranian woman could be facing the hangman’s noose on Tuesday, September 30, 2014 for murdering a man who allegedly tried to rape her, according to Independent UK.
Reyhaneh Jabbari has been in custody since 2007 for murdering an Iranian ministry of intelligence worker, Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi, who she accused of raping her and was sentenced to death in 2009 by a court in Tehran, the Iranian capital, a decision that was confirmed by the Iranian supreme court.
Following her conviction, there has been international condemnation with a petition demanding her release getting as much as 190,000 signatories.
According to a Facebook post by Jabbari’s mother, Shole Paravan on Monday, September 29, 2014, authorities at Evin prison, where Jabbari is being held told her to come and collect the body on Tuesday, September 30, 2014. She also made public a farewell note from her daughter.
It read: “I am currently handcuffed and there is a car waiting outside to take me for the execution. Goodbye, dear Mum. All of my pains will finish early tomorrow morning. I’m sorry I cannot lessen your pain. Be patient. We believe in life after death. I’ll see you in the next world and I will never leave you again because being separated from you is the most difficult thing to do in the world.”
Amnesty International stated that Jabbari confessed that she stabbed Sarbandi once from behind, although she claimed another man had killed him, claims Amnesty International say were not properly investigated.
Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director at Amnesty International stated: “This abhorrent execution must not be allowed to take place, particularly when there are serious doubts about the circumstances of the killing. Instead of continuing to execute people, authorities in Iran should reform their judicial system, which dangerously relies on processes which fail to meet international law and standards for fair trial.”
