Iran denies freeing woman sentenced to death

Iran's state-run television is denying that a woman sentenced to death by stoning has been freed, despite reports of her release that surfaced a day earlier.

Press TV said Friday that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, 43, had only been released to her house for a television interview to recount her alleged crimes.

"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 said on its website.

On Thursday, pictures circulated showing Ashtiani apparently at home with her son. But Press TV said her son and her lawyer were also interviewed for the program.

Earlier this year, another video was shown on Iranian television supposedly of Ashtiani confessing to helping murder her husband and confessing to adultery. But Ashtiani's lawyer said that confession was beaten out of her.

Ashtiani was first convicted in May 2006 of having an "illicit relationship" with two men after the death of her husband, and a court in Tabriz sentenced her to 99 lashes. Later that year, she was also convicted of adultery, despite having retracted the confession she claims was made under duress.

Iran has temporarily suspended the stoning verdict and suggested Ashtiani might be hanged instead.