Canning Town students protest over Iran stoning
Pupils from an Amnesty International youth group at a Canning Town school have staged a protest against the stoning of a woman in Iran.
The students, aged between 11 and 15, from Eastlea Community School in Pretoria Road organised the trip to the Iranian Embassy in South Kensington over the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani who has been sentenced to death.
One of the school’s protesters, Vanessa Carvalho, 14, said: “Sakinah was accused of adultery when married and is now on death row waiting to be stoned.
“The laws of that [Iran] society are very discriminatory towards women.
“I think Sakinah should not be killed.
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“If I could, I would do everything in my power to ensure her release.”
The Eastlea group created a unique petition that was taken to the Embassy, which spelt out “STOP STONING” in giant letters.
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Each letter was covered with hundreds of signatures signed by the school’s staff and students.
As part of the protest, the children spelt out “End Stoning” with stones at the Embassy in Princes Gate.
The students also used mega phones to alert surrounding people to their cause and signalled their intention to help the citizens of Iran who suffer brutal punishments.
