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Reyhaneh Jabbari: Iran due to execute woman for murder of her alleged attempted rapist

Ms Jabbari has been imprisoned for seven years and could be hung today

Heather Saul
Tuesday 30 September 2014 15:52 BST
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An Iranian woman charged with the murder of man who allegedly attempted to rape her could be executed today
An Iranian woman charged with the murder of man who allegedly attempted to rape her could be executed today

An Iranian woman charged with the murder of man who allegedly attempted to rape her could be executed today.

Reyhaneh Jabbari, 26, was arrested in 2007 for the killing of Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi, a former employee of Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence who she said tried to sexually abuse her.

She was sentenced to death by a Tehran court in 2009 and her execution verdict was upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court. Her case drew international outcry and sparked a petition urging her release, which has garnered over 190,000 signatures.

Amnesty International said Ms Jabbari’s mother Shole Paravan published a Facebook post on Monday saying authorities in Iran’s notorious Evin prison told her she would have to go to the facility to “collect the body” tomorrow.

In her post, translated by Fox News, Ms Paravan apparently recounted an emotional farewell from her daughter. "I am currently handcuffed and there is a car waiting outside to take me for the execution,” Ms Jabbari was quoted as saying.

"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 understands Ms Jabbari admitted to stabbing the man once from the back but said another man killed Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi. Amnesty said her claim is believed to have never been properly investigated.

Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director at Amnesty International, said: “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.”

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