Opinion Scarlet letters

In 2006,a criminal court in East Azerbaijan acquitted her of murder charges,yet a video surfaced — last Wednesday — in which she admitted to playing a role in her husband’s death. Her lawyer Mohammed Mostafaie,a prominent human rights lawyer in Iran claims that confessions were made under duress,that she was tortured. He went public with her case,and what has followed is an international campaign,spearheaded by the French,to set Ashtiani free from “medieval” clutches.

“The (Iranian) regime exercises control by repression,and resorts massively to capital punishment,including its most medieval form,stoning… France considers that it is responsible for the woman,” said Sarkozy at the behest of writer,philosopher,and part-time war correspondent Bernard-Henri Levy. An international letter-writing campaign is underway — a joint initiative between fashion magazine Elle,French newspaper Liberation,literary review La Regle du Jeu and The Huffington Post. Writers,artists,intellectuals and political leaders have been urged to voice their discontent. Lending their voices to the cause,Carla Bruni,Jacques Chirac and Mia Farrow have already penned letters to Ashtiani,who languishes in the infamous Tabriz prison.

Though Iran has placed a moratorium on death by stoning,it is believed that eight people have been executed in such a manner in 2010. The Iranian Penal Code (Article 104) states that the stones used should “not be large enough to kill the person by one or two strikes; nor should they be so small that they could not be defined as stones.” Further it states that for the crime of adultery women be buried up to their breast for the purpose of execution (Article 102).

This,however,goes against universally acknowledged principles. Article 6(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) states that “sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes.” Adultery is not included as a crime and Iran has ratified this law.

But Iran does as it pleases; silences voices as it sees fit. Recall the events following the June 2009 election. Thousands gathered to protest against a “rigged” election,giving birth to the Green Movement,mirroring the fervour of the 1979 revolution. In response the regime ordered a full-blown media blackout. Yet news from Iran sought alternative channels. Twitter and YouTube became a major port of call,as agog audiences worldwide saw Basiji militia battle those on the streets. The death of Neda Agha Soltan became a rallying point not just for those in Tehran but civil society across the globe. But that was then.

Iran continues to silence all opposition to the regime. Internet and news blackouts have become the norm but one method of communication continues to exist: the age-old tradition of writing letters. Only yesterday reformist cleric Hassan Eshkevari voiced the plight of Hamzeh Karami,chief editor of the reformist website Karami,currently in prison following the June 2009 elections,charged with “illicit sexual liaisons”. He communicated via letters — but the significance of those letters may be short-lived.

But some letters have shaped our histories. And,for Ashtiani,they continue to filter to Bernard-Henri Levy’s website. Pop star Bob Geldof has written,as has Juliette Binoche. The most surprising call for a fair end to Ashtiani’s cause has come from Iran’s ally,Brazil. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has offered Ashtiani asylum in Brazil. He says “if this woman is causing discomfort we will willingly receive her here.”

What started as a simple letter-writing campaign now has the potential of taking from Iran the few allies it has. It has also swayed the regime — Ashtiani will no longer get stoned,and the judiciary debates appropriate punishment. Such is the power of a letter. Twitter updates may get jumbled in data but a letter sent to a woman in prison will remain in her possession,for ever.

alia.allana@expressindia.com