99 Lashes More

Sakineh Mohammadie Ashtiani.

If this doesn't ring a bell, let me tell you something about her and how media's irresponsibility magnified her already miserable life.

Ashtiani was sentenced to death by stoning back in 2006 for committing adultery. But the case is still going on because of appeals both local as well as international. Court proceedings as well as international appeals against death penalty - especially appeals against death by stoning - is keeping her alive. Even our Blessed Pope has been monitoring this case as it was reported here.

I am not going to talk about the sentence. I leave this to the country, their culture and the international organizations since they are indeed the ones who are experts on these.

But what caught my attention was the latest news about her case.

On September 5, 2010, CNN reports here that she has another sentence. She's been ordered to receive 99 lashes.

99 lashes!

All because of media's irresponsibility.

The Times of London, on their August 28 issue, included a photo of a woman identified as Ashtiani.

There could have been no problem with that. But, in Iran, there is a law that all women, regardless of where you come from, wear a head covering which I think is called the shiela. I remember last May 2007 when I had to go to Kish for my change of visa. Kish is an island under Iranian territory. As soon as we entered the Iranian Immigrations at the airport, we were required to wear a head cover and a dress that is loose enough to hide the figure of our body because we won't be able to get through the Immigrations without the proper clothing.

In the photo of The Times of London, Ashtiani was not wearing a head cover.

This was the reason for the 99 lashes.

Ashtiani was not supposed to appear without a head cover, being in Iran and in prison waiting for her sentence.

The Times of London then came up with an apology. That was reported here.

They apologized saying that this photo that appeared on that issue was a case of mistaken identity. That the woman in the photo was NOT Ashtiani, but instead, it was a photo of a political activist from Sweden identified as Susan Hejrat.

But the damage has been done.

Last September 7, 2010, there were reports that Ashtiani has been whipped although these were contradicting and could not be confirmed. I wonder if this could still be confirmed because according to CNN's report, Lawyer: Woman facing stoning in Iran has been whipped.

This time, as in a million and one times, the media again played its appalling role of being necessary evils.

It's not just a case of doing or saying something and saying, "Ooopppsss, I am sorry, it was a mistake."

For Ashtiani, it's about 99 lashes more than that.

Further Readings on Sakineh Mohammed Ashtiani:

• Iran: Woman's Stoning On Hold
• Iran Orders 99 Lashes For Woman Facing Execution, Right Group Says
• Woman Sentenced To Death By Stoning Denied Visits From Lawyer, Family
• Final Verdict Postponed for Iranian Woman Facing Stoning
• Pope Monitoring Iranian Woman Sentenced to Stoning To Death, Vatican Says
• Lawyer: Woman Facing Stoning In Iran Has Been Whipped
• Sakineh Mohammadie Ashtiani, Iran Mother, Could Be Stoned To Death At Any Moment