URGENT: 6th child offender in a month facing imminent execution
A 19 year old boy identified as Ali will be facing execution soon, reported by Iran and Etemaad newspapers in Iran. He is convicted of murdering a 8 year old boy called Ahmad, after rape in semi completed building 2 years ago. Ali has confessed to the crime. He was 17 years of age at the time. A court in Tehran sentenced him to death and the sentence has been confirmed by Iran's supreme court, and about to be carried out.SCE campaign acknowledge the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those children suspected of criminal offences, but unconditionally opposes their death penalty as the International law strictly prohibits the use of the death penalty against people convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18. As a state party to both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Iran has undertaken not to execute child offenders. However, since 1990, the ruling Islamic regime in Iran has executed at least 30 child offenders, including more than 6 so far this year. 81 child offenders are now recorded by SCE to be on death row in Iran. This number may be even higher as according to reports, at least a further 15 Afghan child offenders may be under sentence of death. According to the recent statistics provided by an Iranian police official about 170 
children can be facing execution in Iran. There has been a surge in processing the children's file for execution and this is the SIXTH URGENT CALL IN ONE MONTH that Stop Child Executions Campaign had to issue, the other five being for Ali Mahin-Torabi, Mohammad Latif, Delara Darabi, Hossein Haghi and Behnood. Iran's regime executed a 20 year old boy, Makwan Moloudzadeh, earlier this month for alleged homosexuality at the age of 13.
Four child offenders have been executed since October 2007: Babak Rahimi (17), Hossein Gharabaghloo (16), Mohammadreza Tork (15) Makwan Moloudzadeh (13).* [* The numbers in the ( ) indicate the age when they allegedly committed the crime for what they were executed.]
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English, French or your own language:
- Simce the last name is not available, refer to the details of the case.
- Call on the Iranian authorities to immediately halt the execution of Ali.
- Express concern that Ali was sentenced to death for a crime committed when he was under 18;
- Calling for the death sentence against Ali to be commuted;
- Remind the authorities that Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibit the use of the death penalty against people convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18, and that the execution of Hossein Haghi would therefore be a violation of international law;
- urging the authorities to pass legislation to abolish the death penalty for offences committed by anyone under the age of 18, so as to bring Iran’s domestic law into line with its obligations under international law;
- Stating that you acknowledge the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those children suspected of criminal offences, but unconditionally opposes their death penalty.
APPEALS TO:
Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Panzdah Khordad (Ark) Square,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Fax: +98 21 3390 4986 (please keep trying, if the called is answered, say "fax please")
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@leader.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Director, Human Rights Headquarters of Iran
His Excellency Mohammad Javad Larijani
C/o Office of the Deputy for International Affairs
Ministry of Justice,
Ministry of Justice Building, Panzdah-Khordad (Ark) Square,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 5 537 8827 (please keep trying)
and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
IF THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANING,,OR SELF DEFENCE KILLING THEN MAYBE AN URGENT APPEAL WUD BE NECESSAERY BT THIS GUY IS SUPPOSED TO DIE AFTER SNATCHIN AN INNOCENT LIFE,,
A 19 year old boy identified as Ali will be facing execution soon, reported by Iran and Etemaad newspapers in Iran. He is convicted of murdering a 8 year old boy called Ahmad, after rape in semi completed building 2 years ago. Ali has confessed to the crime. He was 17 years of age at the time. A court in Tehran sentenced him to death and the sentence has been confirmed by Iran's supreme court, and about to be carried out
A YOUNG INNOCENT KIS IS KILLED N RAPED N U WANT TO FREE THE MONSTER WHO DID IT???????????/CRAZY?>
IF THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANING,,OR SELF DEFENCE KILLING THEN MAYBE AN URGENT APPEAL WUD BE NECESSAERY BT THIS GUY IS SUPPOSED TO DIE AFTER SNATCHIN AN INNOCENT LIFE,,
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There are a number of problems with this case, as with many cases prosecuted through the Iranian criminal justice system. Beginning first with the incarceration itself we see a flawed system. It is well documented that prisoners in Iranian prisons suffer from many forms of mistreatment. Confessions are often obtained by torture. This alone renders the confession unrealiable as all advanced nations recognize because people will say anything to stop the pain. Moreover, even witnesses are sometimes tortured or threatened with prosecution in order to persuade them to give a statement against the accused. Thus, not only are confessions unreliable in Iran but witness statements lack trustworthiness because they are obtained under unreliable circumstances.
Once you address all of the flaws in Iran's criminal investigation and incarceration, then you must look at the trial itself. In Iran, there are no clear rules of evidence. Out of court hearsay statements, where there is no opportunity to cross-examine the accuser, are also not admissible in most courts of the world. Yet, they are commonly relied upon in Iran to convict the accused and to sentence the accused to death. Even worse, often the out of court statements are hearsay on hearsay obtained under duress such as threat of torture or prosecution of the accused. In the case of Nazanin Fatehi there were statements purportedly taken from her family members which were admitted into trial without even presenting the persons from whom they were taken when those persons, such as her father, were available and ready to testify. By not bringing her father in to testify, but instead using a false out of court statement he supposedly gave, the judge in Nazanin's case obstructed justice and sought to keep the truth out at trial so a lie could be used to convict her. This would never happen in a criminal court in the more advanced nations of the world. It turns out those statements were false as the family members later testified. But she would have been executed based upon those statements had it not been for activists like Nazanin Afshin-Jam and the save Nazanin campaign, her attorney and others who demanded a review of the case. Then we have prosecution based upon the judge's supposed knowledge which is not to be used in death cases. Again, that is simply a judge allowing his own personal bias to come into the trial which would be grounds for reversal of the conviction in all civilized nations of the world. Because of the lack of competent evidentiary standards, no conviction in Iran is trustworthy and all must be viewed with great suspicion.
Once we get past the issue of the lack of a reliable and competent investigation, and the lack of proper Rules of Evidence at trial, then we must consider the illegality of the sentence imposed. Iran is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child which precludes the sentence of death for crimes committed by individuals before the age of 18 years. That does not mean that they cannot be incarcerated or placed in mental health institutions. What it means is that execution is an improper sentence for a minor. Psychologists throughout the world have recognized that a minor is not sufficiently developed cognitively to fully understand the gravity and the full ramifications of his actions. While it is inhumane to impose the death sentence even on adults, it is even more egregious to impose it on minors. As has been well argued in an article published here a few days ago, the laws of Iran require that Iran adhere to the treaties of which it is a signatory nation. Thus, by sentencing persons to death for crimes committed while that person was a minor, the Iranian judiciary is not only violating international treaties but it is violating the laws of Iran and Shariah law. This is a matter that must be addressed promptly by the Iranian judiciary and the legislative body. It is of paramount importance and Iran will not be seen as a modern nation and a world leader until this issue is rectified.
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