Freidoune Sahebjam

Soraya M.'s husband, Ghorban-Ali, couldn't afford to marryanotherwoman. Rather than returning Soraya's dowry, as custom required beforetaking asecond wife, he plotted with four friends and a counterfeit mullah todispose ofher. Together, they accused Soraya of adultery. Her only crime was cookingfor afriend's widowed husband. Exhausted by a lifetime of abuse and hardship,Sorayasaid nothing, and the makeshift tribunal took her silence as a confessionofguilt. They sentenced her to death by stoning: a punishment prohibited byIslambut widely practiced. Day by day+sometimes minute by minute+Sahebjamdeftlyrecounts these horrendous events, tracing Soraya's life with searingimmediacy,from her arranged marriage and the births of her nine children to herhusband'sincreasing cruelty and her horrifying execution, where, by tradition, herfather, husband, and sons hurled the first stones. This is one woman's story, but it stands for the stories of thousandsofwomen who suffered+and continue to suffer+the same fate. It is a storythat mustbe told.

The Stoning of Soraya M.

رجم ثريا

Soraya M.’s husband, Ghorban-Ali, couldn’t afford to marry another woman. Rather than returning Soraya’s dowry, as custom required before taking a second wife, he plotted with four friends and a counterfeit mullah to dispose of her. Together, they accused Soraya of adultery. Her only crime was cooking for a friend’s widowed husband. Exhausted by a lifetime of abuse and hardship, Soraya said nothing, and the makeshift tribunal took her silence as a confession of guilt. They sentenced her to death by stoning: a punishment prohibited by Islam but widely practiced. Day by day—sometimes minute by minute—Sahebjam deftly recounts these horrendous events, tracing Soraya’s life with searing immediacy, from her arranged marriage and the births of her children to her husband’s increasing cruelty and her horrifying execution, where, by tradition, her father, husband, and sons hurled the first stones. A stark look at the intersection between culture and justice, this is one woman’s story, but it stands for the stories of thousands of women who suffered—and continue to suffer—the same fate. It is a story that must be told.

Freidoune Sahebjam

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