Lawyer in Iran stoning case reunited with wife, daughter in Norway

OSLO - The lawyer who defended a woman sentenced to death by stoning in Iran was reunited with his family in Norway Thursday.

Mohammad Mostafaei said he was pleased his wife and 7-year-old daughter were allowed to travel to Norway on tourist visas.

In August, the 31-year-old lawyer fled to Turkey then Norway after learning Iranian officials intended to arrest him. He has said he is seeking asylum in Norway, but still hopes officials in Iran will allow him to return to his practice.

Mostafaei's wife, Fereshteh, said Thursday that she was "really happy" to join her husband in Norway. But she said she was "very worried about the future" and unsure how long the family will stay in Norway.

"We have no plan right now," she said.

Mostafaei hugged his wife and held his daughter, Parmida, as he spoke to reporters at Oslo's Gardermoen international airport.

Mostafaei maintained a blog that sparked a worldwide campaign to free his former client, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, who was convicted of adultery. In July, Iranian authorities said they would not carry out the stoning sentence for the time being, but the mother of two could still face execution by hanging for adultery and other offences.

Mostafaei predicted last month that the Iranian government would grant Ashtiani clemency because of the international reaction to her case.