An Iranian judiciary spokesman has announced that Iran has suspended the punishment of death by stoning, a penalty often applied to those convicted of adultery. At least eight women and one man were awaiting punishment of stoning; four sentences have been commuted and all others will be reviewed.
Amnesty International has campaigned against the practice of stoning in Iran, noting that women are particularly vulnerable to this sentence since they may receive unequal treatment under the law and by the courts. Amnesty has issued a statement supporting the suspension of the stoning punishment.
Compiled from: “Iranians Suspend Death by Stoning,” BBC News, 5 August 2008.