AP Interview: Lawyer for Iranian woman sentenced to death for adultery says she may be spared

AP Interview: Iranian may be spared execution

BERLIN — A lawyer who represented an Iranian woman facing a death sentence on an adultery conviction says she still has a chance to be spared execution and even be set free.

Human rights lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei told The Associated Press in Berlin on Wednesday he thinks there is too much international pressure for the Iranian justice system and government to carry out Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s execution.

He says it would be within the power of Iranian officials to set Ashtiani free and that has been done before in the case of seven other women sentenced to stoning.

Ashtiani, a mother of two, was sentenced to death by stoning for adultery. After the international outcry, Iran last month lifted the stoning sentence for now, but she could still face execution by hanging.