Iranian Officials: Woman May Be Hanged Instead Of Stoned

Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- A woman sentenced to die by stoning in 2010 will still be executed, Iranian officials said Monday, but the method of execution is still being debated, according to an Iranian media report.

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani's case drew international attention after she was sentenced to die by stoning following her conviction on murder and adultery charges. The woman's family has denied that she played any role in her husband's death.

"What I can tell you now is that we are waiting to see if someone who has been sentenced to be executed by stoning could be executed by hanging instead," Hojatoleslam Sharifi, the judiciary chief of Eastern Azarbaijan province, said Monday at a news conference, the semi-official Iran Student's News Agency reported. The government lacks the "needed facility for stoning," he said.