France is deeply concerned about the impending execution of Iranian citizen Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said in his statement on the human rights situation in Iran.
"This morning I phoned to Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki to express my concern and once again call on the Iranian authorities to abolish executions and declare pardon," the statement reads.
Mottaki stated that the court has not yet made a final verdict on Ashtiani and that information about the possible execution does not correspond to reality, the French foreign ministry reported.
"I also expressed the international community's misunderstanding over the imprisonment of Sakineh's son and lawyer," Kouchner said.
Kouchner said his country and other European countries will continue their efforts to save Ashtiani's life.
"I urge the Iranian authorities to pay heed to the calls of the international community and respect the international commitments that Iran has pledged to do," Kouchner said.
"I and my European colleagues are still deeply concerned about the situation with human rights in Iran," he said. "We urge the Iranian authorities to respect the basic principles of freedom, to cease political intimidation and repression."
The 43-year-old Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is the mother of two, who had been actually sentenced to stoning till death for alleged adultery. Ashtiani was convicted in 2006 of having an "illicit relationship" with two men after the murder of her husband the year before and was sentenced at that time to 99 lashes.
In September 2010, she was sentenced to stoning till death for murder and according to Iran General Prosecutor Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Eje'i, this sentence is more priority than penalty for adultery.