Yes, things are surely much better now. Fer instance:
<quote>Judge Zarif makes it clear that the ultimate penalty will remain in force for adulterers, both male and female. They would still be stoned to death, Zarif told the French news agency, "but we will use only small stones."</quote>
Source: http://www.workingforchange.com/article.cfm?ItemId=12602
Also, how clever--to turn such a phrase as "critics [turning] a blind eye." It allows one to completely ignore the fact that these critics often criticize how everyone else has turned a blind eye to the death-by-bombing of thousands of innocent Afghanis. Oh, I forgot, that's merely 'collateral damage.'
Cheers,
// mark