The Mercosur Parliament showed on Monday (9) its indignation at the death sentence, by stoning, of the Iranian Sakineh Ashanti. Considering the unanimous approval for the draft declaration presented by the Senate Aloizio Mercadante and Deputy Dr Rosinha, the representatives asked for the Authorities of Iran to revise the sentence, since the country does not contribute to ‘be part of the international community’.
The death sentence, according to the declaration, ‘affronts in a manner absolutely unacceptable the fundamental human rights, in particular the ones respecting women’. The representatives showed their willingness for the Mercosur countries to receive Sakineh as a refugee, for philanthropist reasons, ‘if she accept it’.

Barbarism When the proposal was approved, the two authors observed that the death by stoning, although within the millennial Islamic law, the Sharia, was already abolished in most Muslim countries, since it is considered ‘an extremely cruel and terrible execution. They also point up that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights establishes that ‘no one will be submitted to torture, neither treatment nor punishment involving cruelty or humiliation.

The Senate Marisa Serrano stressed that the Mercosur Parliament could not turn its blind eye to such conviction. She said that environmentalists demonstrate in sundry countries their opposition to the extermination of animals, as whales. In addition, she said that is necessary criticise any cruel treatment concerning human beings. ‘We cannot be quiet’, stated the representative.

The Senate Inácio Arruda also voted in favour of the proposal, pointing up that various Western women suffer ‘with sexism power’ as well’.

Calendar The Mercosur Parliament sanctioned a new calendar for its next sessions. The representatives shall meet again on 13 September, 18 October, 22 November and 13 December. Such last date can change to coincide with the block summit, which will fix the conclusion for the Mercosur Brazilian presidency.

The cooperation agreement between the Mercosur Parliament and the CCSC (Advisory Board for Argentinian Civil Society) was approved to encourage social Argentinian movements to take part in the debates in Parliament. Moreover, a proposal was sanctioned in Argentine. It declared regional interest to perform the international days 10 Days for Global Democracy.

Information from Agência Senado.