THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA REMAINS UNWAVERING IN ITS DENOUNCEMENT OF THE
TREATMENT OF SAKINEH MOHAMMADI ASHTIANI

OTTAWA, Nov. 4 /CNW/ - The Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women, joined with Sylvie Boucher, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Status of Women to issue a statement on the treatment of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani by the Government of Iran. 

"The treatment of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani by the Government of Iran has drawn the outrage of women and of all Canadians, and our Government remains deeply concerned by the reports that she may be sentenced to death by hanging.

Women from across Canada are joining together to condemn this denial of human rights, and we are proud to support their collaboration on this issue.  Today,  the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women unanimously passed a motion on the issue to express their deep concerns to the Government of Iran.

Iran's wanton abuse of the rights of its own citizens is completely unacceptable and our Government will continue to be an international leader calling for change.

Yesterday the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lawrence Cannon, called in the senior representative of the Iranian government in Canada to answer for the government's continued lack of satisfactory action on this file.  Earlier this year, our Government spearheaded a resolution at the UN General Assembly to call out Iran for its egregious Human Rights violations.   

We remain concerned by Ms. Ashtiani's ongoing detention, harassment by judicial authorities and denial of due process, as well as by the use of false or coerced confessions in her trial. Ms. Ashtiani has been in jail since 2006 and has reportedly already received 99 lashes.

On behalf of Canadians, we once again urge the Government of Iran to reverse the trend of the deterioration of its human rights situation and to meet its legal obligations." 

For further information:

Rebecca Thompson
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services and Minister for Status of Women
[phone]