Iran Special: The Latest on the Non-Release of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani

For the original story of Ashtiani's "release", see Thursday night's entry.

Information from EA sources indicates that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, condemned to death for adultery, has NOT been released from prison.

The news that she had been freed followed images of Ashtiani and her son Sajad Ghaderzadeh --- who has also been detained since September --- in their home in northwestern Iran. Soon, however, another story emerged: Sakineh had been escorted from prison to home to make another televised "confession" of adultery and complicity in the murder of her husband.

Here is what we have learned:

The pictures of Ashtiani and Ghaderzadeh are from a trailer (commercial) for the Iran Today programme, which is broadcast on Fridays, on Press TV. EA sources in the Iranian state media say Ashtiani was taken "temporarily" out of prison for the programme, which will report how she contributed to the murder of her husband. (Thus, the report last night that she is saying in the trailer, "We planned to kill my husband.")

Mohammad Mostafaei, the lawyer in exile in Norway who had represented Ashtiani before security forces tried to arrest him, says from his sources in Iran that his former client had not been freed.

A few hours ago, Press TV's website finally brought out a "clarifying article":

Contrary to a vast publicity campaign by Western media that confessed murderer Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani has been released, a team of broadcast production team with the Iran-based Press TV has arranged with Iran's judicial authorities to follow Ashtiani to her house to produce a visual recount of the crime at the murder scene.

Press TV's "Iran Today" program, will shed light on the highways and byways of the murder account with multiple interviews with people and individuals involved in the case.

Sajjad Asgharzadeh, Sakineh's son, and her lwayer Hootan Kian are among the individuals that have spoken to the production team.

The Press TV programme, available to many international viewers, will be broadcast on Friday night at 2035 GMT.

Last night's "freedom" story was sparked when Mina Ahadi, the activist who has led the campaign for Ashtiani, moved quickly to express her hopes for an imminent release after she saw the photographs taken from the Press TV trailer. Some news services such as Agence France Presse went farther, saying Ashtiani had been freed. As it was quite late in Iran, on the eve of a weekend in the religious month of Moharram, no Government sources could confirm or deny the report.

Even if Ahadi is proven wrong, Iranian authorities may find they suffer from this confusion. Politicians and high-profile personalities around the world have publicly expressed their joy. Denial of the news is likely to bring more criticism and even anger down on the Iranian Government --- which is maneouvring in the resumed nuclear talks with the "West" and wants to avoid any fuss over human rights --- and more pressure for Ashtiani's "real" release.