Ahmadinejad Calls Stoning Sentence Backlash Unfair

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has criticized the outcry about the case of an Iranian woman sentenced to die by stoning.

The United States, European Union and international human rights groups have all urged Tehran to stay the execution of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.

But Ahmadinejad said Thursday the criticism is unfair because the U.S. has sentenced women to death without similar backlash.

He also said the case is still under investigation.

Ashtiani is a 43-year-old mother of two who was first convicted in 2006 for having an "illicit relationship" with two men after the death of her husband the year before.  She was sentenced at the time to 99 lashes.

Later that year, she was also convicted of adultery and sentenced to be stoned, even though she retracted a confession that she says was made under duress.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.