Iranian woman facing 99 lashes and death by stoning may get help from the Pope

ROME, Italy - According to CNN.com, Pope Benedict XVI is considering involvement in the case of an Iranian woman who has been sentenced to death by stoning.

The semi-official Iranian Student's News Agency reported that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani was found guilty of adultery, but Iranian judicial authorities had not finalized the verdict.

Vatican spokesperson Frederico Lombardi said in a statement that the pope would intervene if asked to do so by foreign authorities, but it would be done diplomatically and not publically.

"The Holy See is following the case with attention and participation," Lombardi said. "The position of the church, which is opposed to the death penalty, is that stoning is a particularly brutal form."

The International Committee Against Stoning says Ashtiani also faces 99-lashes, after a picture of her without a head scarf, allegedly ran in The Times of London.

The human rights organization says it's a case of mistaken identity.
Iranian law requires all women to wear garments that cover their hair and bodies, regardless of their faith.

The Times of London ran an apology, saying that the women pictured on their front page on August 28th was incorrectly identified. The paper says the photo is of Susan Hejrat, a political activist residing in Sweden.