نوجوانان را اعدام نکنید SCE News and Updates archives

“The Iranian Penal Code interprets Sharia law in a way that says a woman’s life is worth half that of a man’s. Under Sharia law, a girl is considered an adult at the age of nine and she is held legally accountable for her actions. The International Covenant on Civic and Political Rights states that you cannot, under any circumstance, execute a minor. The Iranian law bastardizes this and says, “We won’t kill her at nine years old, but we’ll keep her imprisoned until she is 18 and then we will execute her.”
                                                                                            Nazanin Afshin-Jam

To read the full article at Girls without borders visit: http://www.girls-without-borders.org/home/news/54

Girls without Borders is an international initiative for the promotion of women in politics and civil society.

After six months campaigning for the life of Mohammad Latif, a boy on death row, co-founder of the Stop Child Executions campaign, Nazanin Afshin-Jam spoke to Mohammad Latif on the phone for the first time since his release from prison last week.

Mohammad Latif spent over three years in jail for a crime he says he committed in self defence. Mohammad said that he accidentally killed 18-year-old Mansour while trying to take away the attackers knife. After mediation between families, Mansour’s family decided to give pardon to Mohammad and have him released from jail.

Mohammad said it feels like he has started a new life. He is having to readjust to “normal” life after having spent three years in prison. He acquired problems with mobility of his legs and his eyesight has deteriorated considerably while in prison. He says he has not quite adjusted to the hustle bustle of everyday life and does not have much tolerance for loud noises, busy streets and crowds. He says that hopefully these things will subside in the near future.

Since his release last week he has spent time on vacation with his family. Soon he will return home to decide his future. He said he may have to work to help pay the debts that his father has acquired while he was in prison; otherwise his wish is to be able to return to school in hopes of one day becoming an electrical engineer. Mohammad who was imprisoned at the age of 14 has finished junior high school and did not have a chance to start high school.

He said that he cannot express how happy he is to be free and how thankful he is to Nazanin and all those who helped him in the process leading up to his freedom. His mother took the opportunity to express her gratitude and said that she is continuously praying for all the wonderful people who helped her son.

Shortly after release of Mohammad, his brother, on behalf of the family sent letters to thank Nazanin Afshin-Jam, David Etebari, attorney Mostafaei, all the Stop Child Execution Campaign volunteers and everyone who helped saved Mohammad from execution: http://scenews.blog.com/2786709/

Today Voice of America Television (persian language) interviewed Nazanin Afshin-Jam about child executions and other human right violations in Iran. The program is broadcasted via satellite in Iran and worldwide. To view visit:

http://www.voanews.com/wm/voa/nenaf/pers/pers1730vbTHU.asx

Canadian FLARE MAGAZINE featured Nazanin Afshin-Jam in its December 2007 issue. The detailed 3 full page article titled FLARE Volunteer included clips from an interview with Nazanin Afshin-Jam about Stop Child Execution Campaign.

To read the article click: http://www.stopchildexecutions.com/files/Flare_Dec_2007.pdf

(if the link does not work on your computer, you can right click on it and download the PDF file)

Nazanin Afshin-Jam and SCE Campaign thank the honorable Christer Winbäck for signing the Stop child executions petition. He is the 102nd member of the Swedish Parliament who signed the SCE petition.

12954.

Christer Winbäck, MP

Sweden

MP

To date nearly 1/3 of the Swedish MP’s have signed the SCE petition against the child executions in Iran.

SCE petition has now surpassed 13,000 signatures and supported by human right activists and politicians.

Today in two seperate letters , Nazanin Afshin-Jam asked the Canadian Government and Louis Arbor, the United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner for their help in stopping the executions of Ali Mahin-Torabi and Mohammad Latif.
 
After referring to last week’s execution of Makwan Moloudzadeh, in her urgent letters Nazanin wrote:
 
“There seems to be a “killing spree” lately in Iran and we have just been informed of two more urgent cases. Because they are no longer informing when an execution is set to take place, we must now be extra vigilent to prevent these occurances.”

Nazanin Afshin-Jam and Stop Child Execution volunteers have been working many extra hours in the past few days communicating with different human rights organizations, governments, attorneys, parents as well as informing and posting in different website , volumes of bad news coming from Iran regarding child executions.

As reported by SCE campaign 2 weeks ago, in a recent interview one of the heads of Iran’s police stated that as many as 170 Iranian children will be facing execution soon: http://scenews.blog.com/2325039/

Nazanin Afshin-Jam was interviewed about Stop Child Executions Campaign on Canadian Broadcasting Television ( THE HOUR program )

watch : http://www.cbc.ca/mrl3/30569/thehour/videos/20071205_jam.wmv

Source: CBC

Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 2 pm – 5 pm at SFU Downtown Campus

Vancouver – On the eve of World Human Rights Day, the Canadian Students for Darfur, the SFU China Research Association and the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG) will co-host a public forum entitled “Creating a Better World based on Freedom and Justice.”

The Hon.David Kilgour will be keynote speaker at this insightful forum. Other featured speakers will include Don Wright, Amnesty International Regional Coordinator for Pacific-Yukon, Nazanin Afshin-Jam, human rights activist and recording artist, Clive Ansley, China Country Monitor for Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada and Chair of CIPFG, Miriam Palacios, Public Engagement, Advocacy and Campaign Officer for Oxfam Canada in B.C and Khamis Abdelkarim of Canadian Students for Darfur.

Delegates at the forum will work together to examine ways of  “Creating a Better World Based on Freedom and Justice” by using human rights as a platform. To complement this forum, from 12 pm-5:30 pm, various human rights groups will have displays and information tables set up in the centre lounge, providing an opportunity for people to take action.

What: Public Forum: “Creating a Better World Based on Freedom and Justice” and Human Rights Displays

When: Saturday, December 8, 2007 at 2 pm – 5 pm

Where: Simon Fraser University; 515 W. Hastings, Room: 1900, Fletcher Challenge Canada Theatre, Vancouver, BC

Contact:
Apaak Clement Tel. 778-895-9242, Vancouver, BC

Sponsored by the SFU China Research Association, Canadian Students for Darfur and the Coalition to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong (CIPFG)

Click on the JAM PLAYER on the right side of the page at: http://www.jamnow.com/nazanin