Woman Sentenced to Stoning Confesses on TV

Iranian TV has aired the confession of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the woman sentenced to stoning after being convicted of adultery. Her death sentence was put on hold after international outcry, including an offer of asylum from Tehran’s close ally Brazil. In the confession, no mention was made of the stoning sentence, and instead of focusing on adultery, Ashtiani admitted a role in a conspiracy to murder her husband. Ashtiani said her cousin threatened to kill him, but Ashtiani thought it was a joke. He then brought equipment to electrocute Ashtiani’s husband. She then said her lawyer had disgraced her (he has sought asylum in Norway). Iran has a long history of forcing public confessions, and one of Ashtiani’s lawyers say she was tortured for two days into offering her's.