The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, today made the following statement on an execution by stoning in Iran:

“Canada strongly condemns the execution by stoning of Jafar Kiani in the village of Aqchekan in Qazvin province on July 5, 2007. We are deeply concerned by the possible imminent stoning of Mokarrameh Ebrahimi, and urgently call upon Iranian authorities not to carry out the sentence.

“These actions are in clear violation of both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights—to which Iran is party—and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Additionally, execution by stoning contravenes Iran’s own national commitments, including a moratorium on stoning introduced in 2002.

“Canada remains concerned with the human rights situation in Iran and calls upon the Government of Iran to live up to its commitments and obligations under domestic and international law.”