نوجوانان را اعدام نکنید SCE News and Updates archives

PUBLIC  AI Index: MDE 13/117/2008                   15 August 2008

Further Information on UA 114/08 (MDE 13/065/2008, 29 April 2008) and follow-ups (MDE 13/066/2008, 8 May 2008; MDE 13/081/2008, 12 June 2008; MDE 13/101/2008, 25 July 2008) – Imminent execution

IRAN  Behnoud Shojaee (m), aged 20, juvenile offender

Behnoud Shojaee is again in imminent danger of execution: his family was unable to afford the diyeh, or financial compensation, required to obtain a pardon. His execution, which was due to take place on or around 12 August has been postponed until the end of August 2008.

Behnoud Shojaee was sentenced to qesas (retribution) by Branch 74 of the Criminal Court in Tehran on 2 October 2006, after he was found guilty of killing a boy named Omid the previous year, when he was 17. Behnoud Shojaee had no legal representation at his trial.

He was twice granted a stay of execution by the head of the judiciary, Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, to allow time for further negotiations over diyeh between his and Omid’s families. However, although the Omid’s family agreed to reduce the diyeh they demanded, from US$2,085,000 to US$625,000, this is still more than Behnoud Shojaee’s family can afford.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Since 1990 Iran has executed at least 35 juvenile offenders, eight of them in 2007 and four in 2008.

The family of a murder victim have the right either to insist on execution, or to pardon the killer and receive financial compensation. A convicted murderer has no right to seek pardon or commutation from the state, in violation of Article 6(4) of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

The execution of juvenile offenders is prohibited under international law, as stated in Article 6 (5) of the ICCPR and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), of which Iran is a state party to and so has undertaken not to execute anyone for crimes committed when they were under 18.

On 8 July 2008, during a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, Amnesty International published a joint statement with over 20 other international and regional human rights organizations calling on Iranian authorities to stop imposing the death penalty for crimes committed by juvenile offenders, and to uphold their international obligation to enforce the absolute prohibition on the death penalty in such cases. See Iran: Spare four youths from execution, immediately enforce international prohibition on death penalty for juvenile offenders, available at: http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/iran-spare-four-youths-execution-immediately-enforce-international-prohi 
 
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English or your own language:
- expressing concern that Behnoud Shojaee is at risk of execution for a crime committed when he was under 18;
- calling on the authorities to commute his death sentence;
- reminding them that Iran is a state party to both 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 those under the age of 18 at the time of offence, and that to execute Behnoud Shojaee would therefore be a violation of international law;
- urging the authorities to pass legislation to abolish the death penalty for offences committed by people under the age of 18, so bringing Iran’s domestic law in line with its obligations under international law.

APPEALS TO:

Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran 1316814737, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:  info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation:  Your Excellency

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:

President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax:   +98 21 6 649 5880
Email:   dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
(via website) http://www.president.ir/email/

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. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 26 September 2008.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL         PUBLIC                  
AI Index: MDE 13/115/2008
14 August 2008

UA 228/08                                
Death Penalty
  
IRAN 
Kamal (m), aged 17, barber’s assistant

Seventeen-year-old barber’s assistant Kamal was sentenced to death for murder on 12 April. His death sentence was approved by the Supreme Court at the beginning of August, and his file has since been sent to the Head of the Judiciary for final approval. He is in imminent danger of execution.

According to local press, in the evening of 10 April 2007 Kamal was standing in front of the barber’s shop where he worked with two friends, including the barber’s son, Mehdi. They noticed a man named Shahin verbally harassing a young girl. A fight broke out between Mehdi and Shahin. When Mehdi’s father arrived Shahin pushed him, and Mehdi asked Kamal to get a knife from the shop, which he did. Shahin then attacked Kamal and they both fell to the floor: Shahin was stabbed in the back. The blade hit his heart, and he died in hospital.

Under Article 206 (b) of Iran’s Criminal Code, any killing is classed as “premeditated murder,” and thus attracts a death sentence, “in cases where the murderer intentionally makes an action which is inherently lethal, even if [the murderer] does not intend to kill the person.”

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The family of a murder victim have the right either to insist on execution, or to pardon the killer and receive financial compensation. A convicted murderer has no right to seek pardon or commutation from the state, in violation of Article 6(4) of the ICCPR.

The execution of juvenile offenders is prohibited under international law. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, and supports the global trend away from the use of the death penalty, powerfully expressed in the UN General Assembly’s resolution calling for a worldwide moratorium on executions on 18 December 2007.

On 8 July 2008, during a press conference in Geneva, Switzerland, Amnesty International issued a joint statement with over 20 other international and regional human rights organizations calling on Iranian authorities to stop imposing the death penalty for crimes committed by juvenile offenders, and to uphold their international obligation to enforce the absolute prohibition on the death penalty in such cases. See Iran: Spare four youths from execution, immediately enforce international prohibition on death penalty for juvenile offenders, available at: http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/iran-spare-four-youths-execution-immediately-enforce-international-prohi
 
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals in your own words to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English or your own language:

- expressing concern that Kamal is at risk of execution for a crime committed when he was under 18;
- calling on the authorities to commute his death sentence;
- reminding them that Iran is a state party to both 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 those under the age of 18 at the time of offence, and that to execute Kamal would therefore be a violation of international law;
- urging the authorities to pass legislation to abolish the death penalty for offences committed by people under the age of 18, so bringing Iran’s domestic law in line with its obligations under international law;
- stating that Amnesty International acknowledges the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offences, but unconditionally opposes the 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
Email:   info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Fax: 011 98 21 3390 4986 (may be difficult. If a voice answers, say, “Fax please”)
Salutation:  Your Excellency

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:

President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax:  011 98 21 6 649 5880
Email:    dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir (via website) http://www.president.ir/email/

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:  011 98 21 5 537 8827 (may be difficult)

Mr Seyed Mahdi Mohebi
Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy for the Islamic Republic of Iran
245 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2K2
Fax: (613) 232-5712

Please send appeals immediately.  Thank you.

death, rejected the recommendations of the Court of Cassation to review their sentences. The case has now been passed back to the Court of Cassation, who could pass it back to the General Court for review again or uphold the sentences. If upheld, the death sentences would be passed to the Supreme Judicial Council for approval. The two men could be executed within weeks.

Mohamed Kohail and Mehanna Sa’d were charged with the murder of a Syrian boy, who died in a schoolyard brawl in January 2007. They were held incommunicado for approximately one and a half months, and beaten in an attempt to make them confess. Their trial before the General Court took place over nine sessions. Their lawyer was allowed to attend only the last one or two, and was not allowed to challenge the evidence brought against his clients. They were sentenced to death in March 2008, and launched an appeal against the sentences, which have failed.  
Sultan Kohail, who was arrested with the two others, was sentenced to 200 lashes and one year’s imprisonment by the Jeddah Summary Court in April 2008. The case was then passed to the Court of Cassation, which recommended that the case be re-tried by a General Court, which has the power to pass the death sentence against him. His case is now awaiting retrial at a General Court.
A new trial date has not yet been set but Amnesty International has previously expressed concern that if the case was to be re-tried at a General Court, Sultan Kohail could be sentenced to death. As he is 17 years old, sentencing him to death would violate Saudi Arabia’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which prohibits the execution of those under 18 at the time of the crime.   

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Saudi Arabia applies the death penalty for a wide range of offences, including offences with no lethal consequences, and does so following trials which invariably fall short of the most basic international standards. Hearings are often held in secret, and defendants are permitted barely any formal legal representation. They may be convicted solely on the basis of confessions obtained under duress or deception. In many cases defendants and their families are not informed of the progress of legal proceedings against them. Prisoners under sentence of death may not be informed of the date of execution until the morning when they are taken out and beheaded.
The number of executions in 2008 is increasing fast. In 2007 the authorities executed at least 158 people, of whom 76 were foreign nationals. At least 66 people have been executed so far this year, almost half of whom have been foreign nationals.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in English, Arabic or your own language:

- urging the King to commute the death sentences of Mohamed Kohail and Mehanna Sa’d;
- reminding the authorities that they are bound by international standards for fair trial in capital cases, in particular the UN Safeguards Guaranteeing the Protection of the Rights of Those Facing the Death Penalty, which guarantee adequate opportunity for defence and appeal, and prohibits the imposition of the death penalty when there is room for alternative interpretation of the evidence;
- expressing concern that 17-year-old Sultan Kohail may still be at risk of being sentenced to death and asking the authorities to guarantee that this will not happen, as Saudi Arabia is a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
APPEALS TO:
Please note that you may experience difficulties sending faxes on Thursdays and Fridays, which are the weekend in Saudi Arabia.
His Majesty King Abdullah Bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Al-Saud
The Custodian of the two Holy Mosques
Office of His Majesty the King
Royal Court, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax:                        (via Ministry of the Interior) +966 1 403 1185 (please keep trying)
Salutation:     Your Majesty
His Royal Highness Prince Naif bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Al-Saud
Minister of the Interior
Ministry of the Interior
P.O. Box 2933
Airport Road, Riyadh 11134
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax:                        +966 1 403 1185 (please keep trying)
Salutation:          Your Royal Highness
His Royal Highness Prince Saud al-Faisal bin ‘Abdul ‘Aziz Al-Saud
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nasseriya Street
Riyadh 11124
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax:                         +966 1 403 0645
Salutation:          Your Royal Highness

COPIES TO:

Mr Turki bin Khaled Al-Sudairy
President
Human Rights Commission
PO Box 58889, Riyadh 11515
King Fahad Road, Building No.373
Riyadh
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Fax:                        +966 1 4612061
and to diplomatic representatives of Saudi Arabia, accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 24 September 2008.

Following is a letter that Stop Child Executions received today from the family of Behnoud Shojaee:

17 year old Behnoud in 25/5/1384 tried to stop a fight between 15 young people. During the incident unintentionally become involved in murdering a 19 year young man. The victim was killed by two different hits from two different weapons which could not be done by same person. Behnoud in a very fast investigation, and followed by that trail without the presence of his lawyer was convicted to first class murder, and death penalty. Behnoud lost his mother who was from diabetics when he was only 10 years old and lived with his father, who was heavily depressed due to grief of losing his wife. So he moved to live with his grandparents and he had a happy life with them who were well educated and religious people. He was a very talented, fresh, young man, and his hobbies were playing team sport activities and he had no criminal record up to the date of the incident. 
Now he has been moved to the especial department of the jail to wait for the execution.

The victim’s family has been contacted many times by different group of people including, charities, cinema stars, NGO, human rights activists, etc to ask for their forgiveness, as by the domestic law they are the only one who can forgive Behnoud and stop the execution permanently. Initially they agreed to receive $2,085,000 and forgive Behnoud, but then they reduced it to $625,000. Still Behnoud’s family who are mostly retired people, living on pension, can not afford to pay this amount of money and if they fail to do so Behnound will be executed.

(A bank account has been opened in Iran attempting to collect funds at Melli Bank, BaghFerdous branch, Account Number 717865 )

  تاييد حکم قصاص محمد فدايي جوان محکوم به قصاص که در 17 سالگي متهم به قتل شده بود، بار ديگر او را در چند قدمي مرگ قرار داد. اين اتفاق در حالي رخ داد که پيش از اين رئيس قوه قضائيه از صدور اذن اعدام اين جوان خودداري کرده و پرونده را براي فراهم شدن مقدمات محاکمه مجدد وي در اختيار ديوان عالي کشور قرار داده بود

به گزارش خبرنگار ما، پرونده محمد فدايي که از 17 سالگي در زندان به سر مي برد در طول 5 سال گذشته با افت و خيزهاي زيادي مواجه شده است. وي که تاکنون دو بار پاي چوبه دار رفته و با نامه آيت الله هاشمي شاهرودي به سلول خود بازگردانده شده است، چندي قبل بالاخره توانست موافقت رئيس قوه قضائيه را در خصوص اعاده دادرسي جلب کند. اين جوان و وکلاي مدافع جديدش اسناد و مدارکي را به دفتر رئيس قوه قضائيه ارائه دادند که ثابت مي کند وکلاي محمد در زمان محاکمه قلابي بوده اند و جلسات محاکمه اش وجاهت قانوني نداشته است. هر چند آيت الله هاشمي شاهرودي صحت اين مدارک را پذيرفت و حکم قصاص وي را خلاف بين شرع دانست اما شعبه 27 ديوان عالي کشور پس از در اختيار گرفتن پرونده حکم اعدام را تاييد کرد. قضات ديوان با اين استدلال که دادنامه صادره يک بار پيش از اين تاييد شده است اعلام کردند اکنون دليلي براي نقض حکم و محاکمه دوباره محمد وجود ندارد.تاييد حکم قصاص از سوي شعبه 27 ديوان عالي کشور يک بار ديگر محمد و وکلاي مدافعش را به تکاپو انداخت تا تلاش خود را براي اثبات غيرقانوني بودن مراحل دادرسي آغاز کنند چرا که مطابق قانون اگر وکيل مدافع متهم به قتلي قلابي بوده يا اجازه وکالت نداشته باشد محاکمه وجاهت قانوني ندارد.محمد مصطفايي – يکي از وکلاي محمد – درباره روند رسيدگي به پرونده به خبرنگار ما گفت؛ «طبق قانون هنگامي که رئيس قوه قضائيه حکم قصاص را نمي پذيرد پرونده به ديوان عالي کشور ارجاع مي شود و در صورتي که قضات ديوان

نيز راي را نقض کنند بايد متهم از ابتدا محاکمه شود اما اگر حکم تاييد شود ديگر محاکمه مجددي در کار نخواهد بود. در اين پرونده به رغم مدارک متعدد و روشن که ارائه داديم ديوان عالي کشور حکم قصاص را نقض نکرد.»وي افزود؛ «در اين مدت محمد فقط يک بار در جلسه دادرسي که در شعبه 71 دادگاه کيفري استان تهران برگزار شد، حضور داشت و پس از آن وکلاي قلابي او به خاطر بي اطلاعي از قانون در مهلت هاي مقرر، اعتراض خود را به راي صادره اعلام نکردند و اين جوان از حق قانوني خودش براي دفاع محروم شد.»

وي خاطرنشان کرد؛ «در پرونده محمد فدايي ايراداتي وجود دارد که قوي ترين آن قلابي بودن وکلايش است و ما تقاضاي خود را براي اعاده دادرسي ارائه خواهيم داد، اما از خانواده اولياي دم نيز درخواست بخشش داريم. اولياي دم پرونده هرچند اصرار بر قصاص داشتند اما خانواده يي بسيار محترم و متشخص هستند و ما از آنها استدعا مي کنيم با بخشش و گذشت بزرگ خود از اعدام محمد صرف نظر کنند. ما قبول داريم آنها داغدار هستند و فرزند عزيزشان را از دست داده اند و حق دارند مسبب ماجرا را تنبيه کنند ولي بي شک بخشش آنها را آ سوده و آرام تر خواهد کرد

.»

To help save Kamal from execution visit:
 
http://www.stopchildexecutions.com/how-you-can-help.aspx

پرونده امير امرالهي كه در سن 16 سالگي مرتكب جرم و توسط شعبه پنجم دادگاه كيفري استان فارس  محكوم به قصاص شد با استیذان از رئیس قوه قضاییه چهت اجرای حکم به اجراي احكام دادسراي شيراز ارسال شد

 در تاريخ 28/8/1384 حدود ساعت 11:30 دقيقه امیر به همراه دو نفر از دوستان خود، به نامهاي حسن. م و علي.س در مقابل نانوايي واقع در خيابان آزادگان شيراز ایستاده بودند كه به صورت اتفاقي با مقتول آقاي محسن. ك و دوستش جواد. و برخورد مي نمايند. زل زدن دوست امیر و مقتول

به یکدیگر نزاعی بچه گانه و ناخواسته را رقم می زند امیر به قصد ميانجيگري وارد دعوا شده و چون علي سلماني داراي كاردي بود آنرا از او مي گيرد تا در صورت نياز از خود دفاع كند و مهاجمين را بترساند. گويا مقتول بدون هيچ دليلي امیر را كه از سن پاييني برخوردار بود مورد ضرب قرار داده و به گونه تحريك مي كند، امیر چاقویی را که همراهش بود به  مقتول نشان مي دهد تا او را بترساند كه از او دور گردد ولي متاسفانه مقتول سماجت به خرج داده و محل را رها نمي نمايد مقتول  ضربه اي به صورت امیر زده و وي نيز به وسيله دسته چاقو به آرامي به صورتش می زند تا شايد برود ولي مجددا مقتول در محل مي ماند و چون همه با هم درگير بودند نا خودآگاه بي عقلي نموده  زمانيكه مقتول به سمت موكل مي رود تا او را مجددا بزند چاقو را به طرف او برده و ناگهان چاقو به سمت سينه راست مقتول اصابت مي كند.

امیر از ترس فرار مي كند و در همان روز موضوع را به پدرش در ميان مي گذارد و خود را به واسطه پدرش به مرجع انتظامی معرفی می کند. امیر به هيچ عنوان فكر نمي كرد كه چهار نفر از پنج نفر قضات دادگاه كيفري استان فارس وي را به مرگ محكوم نمايند بدون آنكه توجه اندكي به روحيات و شرايط عقلي و موقعيت وي كنند.

در این خصوص پرونده ای تشکیل و قضات شعبه پنجم دادگاه کیفری استان در تاریخ ۱۷/۵/۱۳۸۶ حکم به قصاص نفس امیر صادر نمودند که این دادنامه در تاریخ ۱۹/۸/۱۳۸۶ توسط قضات شعبه ۲۷ دیوانعالی کشور تایید شد.

به هر تقدير –  حكم به محكوميت امیر صادر شده وبا ارسال پرونده به اجراي احكام، به نظر رياست قوه قضاييه جهت استيذان رسید که ایشان با اجرای حکم این نوجوان که در سن 16 سالگی مرتکب جرم شده بود موافقت نمودند. امیرهر لحظه امکان دارد اعدام شود.

 در پرونده تشكيل شده براي امیر ايرادات بسياري وجود دارد كه اجراي حكم اعدام (قصاص نفس) را با شبهه و ترديد جدي مواجه مي كند به اين شرح كه:

1.   همانطور كه يكي از مستشاران محترم شعبه 5 دادگاه كيفري استان نظر داده اند امیر در زمان وقوع جرم تنها 16 سال سن داشته و قدرت درك و فهم او به گونه اي نبود كه بتواند در برابر برخي مسايل بوجود آمده خود را كنترل كند بنابراين شايسته بود به نظر ايشان كوچكترين توجه اعمال مي گرديد و او را به پزشكي قانوني معرفي مي نمودند تا پزشكان متخصص تشخيص دهند كه آيا امیر در زمان ارتكاب جرم بالغ بوده  يا خير؟ چرا كه در هيچ جاي قانون مجازات اسلامي سن مسئوليت كيفري مشخص نشده و به بلوغ شرعي اكتفا شده است و در مواد ديگري از قانون به رافعيت مسئوليت كيفري نابالغ اشاره شده است كه تفسير به نفع متهم ايجاب مي نمود لااقل اين خواسته مورد رسيدگي قرار مي گرفت نه اينكه به تعجيل و در همان روز رسيدگي، حكم به محكوميت وي  صادر مي گرديد. اين موضوع با عنايت به اينكه در ماهيت دعواي مطروحه تاثير بسزايي دارد حائز اهميت و از موارد غير شرعي بودن حكم صادره است.

2.    چون وضعيت مالي و معيشتي  امیر و خانواده اش به گونه اي نبوده است  كه بتواند از وكلاي حرفه اي دادگستري و متخصص در اين امور استفاده كند متكي به وكيل تسخيري شده كه متاسفانه وكيل ايشان به دليل كهولت سن و بيماري نتوانستند موارد ابهام آور و شبهه انگيز را به درستي مطرح نمايند چرا كه وضعيت روحي و رواني امیر به گونه اي است كه در برخي از مواقع تعادل رواني خود را از دست مي دهد و اعمالي انجام مي دهد كه در حيطه اختيارش نيست بنابراين لازم و ضروري بود كه وی را پزشكان پزشكي قانوني مورد معاينه قرار داده و پيرامون جنونش كه به صورت موقت به سراغش مي آيد اظهار نظر مي نمودند. مضافا به اينكه امیر زمانيكه در زندان نظام ( زنداني مخصوص اطفال زير 18 سال ) بود به دليل بيماري رواني از قرصهاي آرام بخش قوي استفاده مي كرد كه پرونده پزشكي اش موجود است ولي متاسفانه به اين نكته مهم نيز هيچگونه توجهي نشد لذا دراين قسمت نيز حكم صادره مخدوش بوده و اجراي حكم بي عدالتي در حق وي   مي باشد. هر چند امیر از كرده خويش نادم و پشيمان می باشد ولي واقعيت اين است كه ايشان به هيچ عنوان قصد ارتكاب قتل را نداشته و عملي را كه انجام داده است فارغ از توان و اراده اش بوده و عالما و عامدا مرتكب قتل نشده است.

3.   همانطور كه از شهادت شهود استنباط مي شود زمانيكه متوفي نقش بر زمين شد افراد بسياري نزديك  متوفي  حضور داشتند ولي هيچ يك از آنها مصدوم را به بيمارستان و يا نزديك ترين مركز درماني نبرده تا اينكه پس از 30 دقيقه خودروي آمبولانس حاضر و محسن ( مقتول ) را به بيمارستان انتقال و ايشان در بيمارستان به رحمت ايزدي شتافتند در اين پرونده نكته مهم ديگري كه حائز اهميت است اينكه مصدوم مي بايست به سرعت به بيمارستان منتقل مي گرديد كه اين عمل پس از مدت طولاني انجام شد يعني زمانيكه خون بسياري از متوفي رفته و بي هوش گرديد او را به بیمارستان رسانیدند. از طرفي امكانات بيمارستانی که مقتول به آنجا اعزام گردید مناسب نبود و الا امکان مداوای او بسیار بود بنابراين بازپرس و قضات محترم دادگاه مي بايست به درستي تحقيق مي نمودند كه علت تامه مرگ چه بوده است اگر علت  واقعا خونريزي شديد باشد و عمل نوعا كشنده نباشد قتل ارتكابي شبه عمد بوده و حكم صادره به عمدي بودن قتل بر خلاف شرع و قانون است.

4.   بند ب ماده 206 قانون مجازات اسلامي مقرر مي دارد كه هر كس عملي را عامدا و عالما انجام دهد كه نوعا كشنده باشد قتل عمد است . در حالي كه محتويات پرونده و دلايل موجود در آن نشان مي دهد كه  امیر به هيچ عنوان عالما و عامدا عملي را انجام نداده است كه نوعا كشنده باشد چرا كه اگر قصدي در مورد قتل يا عمل نوعا كشنده داشت به قلب متوفي ضربه وارد    مي نمود كه اين كار را نكرده و به صورت ناخود آگاه آنهم بر اثر سماجت متوفي اين اتفاق ناگوار كه وي را زندان نشين  و خانواده اش را سيه پوش كرد به وقوع پيوست.

5.   موضوع بسیار مهمی که متاسفانه از دید تمام قضاتي كه در اين پرونده دخالت داشته اند پنهان مانده این است که در سال 1372 كنوانسيون حقوق كودك وارد صحن علني مجلس شوراي اسلامي گرديد و نمايندگان محترم مجلس با اكثريت آراء مواد آن را به تصويب رساندند پس از آنكه كنوانسيون به شوراي محترم نگهبان ارجاع گرديد، اعضاي محترم شورای نگهبان  با حق شرط، كنوانسيون حقوق كودك را تأييد نمودند. مادة واحدة قانون الحاق دولت جمهوري اسلامي ايران به كنوانسيون ياد شده مقرر مي دارد: « كنوانسيون حقوق كودك مشتمل بر يك مقدمه و 54 ماده به شرح پيوست تصويب و اجازه الحاق دولت جمهوري اسلامي ايران به آن داده مي شود. مشروط بر آنكه مفاد آن در هر مورد و هر زمان در تعارض با قوانين داخلي و موازين اسلامي قرار گيرد از طرف دولت جمهوري اسلامي ايران لازم الرعايه نباشد.» شوراي محترم نگهبان در نظريه شمارة 5760 مورخ 4/11/1372 خود به مجلس شوراي اسلامي، مشخصاً موارد مخالفت كنوانسيون را با موازين شرع به اين شرح اعلام داشت:« بند 1 مادة 12 و بند هاي 1و3 ماده 13 و بند 1و3 ماده 14 و بند 2 ماده 15 و بند 1 ماده 16 و بند د قسمت 1 ماده 29 مغاير موازين شرع شناخته شد.» نتيجه اينكه به غير از موارد ياد شده، ديگر مواد كنوانسيون هيچگونه مغايرتي با شرع نداشته و در محاكم دادگستري مستند به مادة 9 قانون مدني كه مقرر مي دارد:« مقررات عهودي كه بر طبق قانون اساسي بين دولت ايران و ساير دول، منعقد شده باشد در حكم قانون است.» لازم الرعايه مي باشد.

ماده 37 كنوانسيون حقوق كودك مقرر مي دارد: كشورهاي عضو تضمين خواهند كرد كه: «……… مجازات مرگ يا حبس ابد بدون امكان آزادي، نبايد در مورد جرمهايي كه اشخاص زير 18 سال مرتكب مي شوند اعمال گردد.» در نتیجه  صدور حكم به سلب حيات ( قصاص نفس ) موکل بر خلاف صريح قانون بوده و دادنامه هاي صادره از اين حيث مخدوش است.

 در نهايت در كنار موارد ياد شده ايرادات ماهوي ديگري نيز وجود دارد كه مي طلبد به دليل غير شرعي و قانوني بودن حكم صادره، با نقص دادنامه صادره پرونده مجدداً در دادگاه صالح ديگري مورد رسيدگي مجدد قرار گيرد.

اجرای حکم صادره، مغایر با قانون و کنوانسیون حقوق کودک و میثاق بین المللی حقوق مدنی و سیاسی که ایران هر دوی آنها را به رسمیت شناخته می باشد.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL                                                                                                            PUBLIC       
AI Index: MDE13/098/2008                                                                                                          25 July 2008

Further Information on 271/07 (MDE/124/2007, 23 October 2007) Death Penalty/Fear of Imminent Execution

IRAN    Soghra Najafpour (f), aged 31

Soghra Najafpour has been sentenced to death, for the second time, for a murder which took place when she was only 13 years old. She is in prison in the northern city of Rasht, where she has spent most of the last 19 years.

Soghra Najafpour was released on bail of 600 million Iranian rials (almost US$66,000) on 1 October 2007. She returned to prison later that month to comply with a summons which followed a new demand by the family of the murder victim for her execution to be carried out after they heard of her release.

On 23 October 2007, Soghra Najafpour’s lawyer petitioned the Office of the Head of the Judiciary to reinvestigate her case on account of serious flaws, following which her sentence of qesas (retribution) was overturned by the Supreme Court. The case was sent back for retrial in another branch of the General Court in Rasht. At the second trial, she was again found guilty and sentenced to qesas and remains at risk of execution.

At the age of nine, Soghra Najafpour was sent by her family to work as a servant in a doctor’s home in the city of Rasht. After Soghra Najafpour had been working for the family for four years, the eight-year-old son of the family went missing. She was accused of the boy’s murder when his body was found in a well a few days later. Soghra Najafpour initially denied the murder, but after repeated interrogation, confessed to committing it. Her confession was taken as proof of her guilt and she was sentenced to qesas.

In Soghra Najafpour’s appeal against her sentence she wrote, “I didn’t kill the eight-year-old boy, but I know who killed him and because of his request, I had to be silent. He had promised to get the victim’s mother to forgive me and to save me.” She added, “When I was nine, I was raped, and with the threats I received, I was forced to be silent, and on the day of the accident, I had a storeroom to clean and the same man who abused me came looking for me, and the boy, who was playing, came into the storeroom all of a sudden and saw me being abused. That man threw the boy against the wall and, in one instant, his head hit the wall and he lost consciousness. I couldn’t move the boy’s corpse, but that man wanted me to throw the body in the well.”

Her appeal was rejected and following a medical examination, Soghra Najafpour also received a sentence of flogging for fornication, despite her claim to have been raped.  The man she had claimed was her abuser was acquitted because he did not confess to raping her and there was no other evidence to prove he was the perpetrator. 

On two occasions, when Soghra Najafpour was 17 and 21, she was taken to be executed but the family of the victim changed their minds at the last minute. Soghra Najafpour will continue to seek to prove her innocence.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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 the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Iran has undertaken not to execute child offenders. However, since 1990, Iran has executed at least 33 child offenders, including at least two in 2008. Almost 140 juvenile offenders are believed to be on death row in Iran, the vast majority convicted of murder.

For more information see Iran: The Last Executioner of children (Index MDE 13/059/2007) and Iran: Spare four youths from execution, immediately enforce international prohibition on death penalty for juvenile offenders (http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/iran-spare-four-youths-execution-immediately-enforce-international-prohi).

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English, French or your own language:

APPEALS TO:

Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran 1316814737, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:                    info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation:          Your Excellency

COPIES TO:

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

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

and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 05 September.

Another juvenille offender is at imminent risk of execution in the prison of Sanandaj, Iran. He is identified as “Selah Taseh” son of Namegh, and is convicted of an alleged murder when he was 15 years old.

On June 10., Mohammad Hassanzadeh (17) was hanged in the Sanandaj prison convicted of a murder he had allegedly committed when he was 15 years old.

The imminent execution of “Selah Taseh , was confirmed by the Iranian daily newspaper Kargozaran. Selah Taseh is now transferred to the Sanandaj prison for execution. The transfer took place after Salah reached 18 years of age.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Human Rights Activities Iran

اتحاديه اروپا روز جمعه نسبت به سرنوشت صلاح تاسه، نوجوان سنندجی که متهم  است در پانزده سالگی فردی را به قتل رسانده، ابراز نگرانی کرده است

بنا بر گزارش ها، صلاح تاسه، که متهم است در سن ۱۵ سالگی مرتکب قتل شده است هفته گذشته پس از رسيدن به سن ۱۸ سالگی، جهت اجرای حکم اعدام به زندان سنندج منتقل شده است . اسلوانی، رييس دوره ای اتحاديه اروپا، در بياينه ای اعلام کرد:«رياست اتحاديه اروپا تاسف عميق خود را نسبت به اجرای قريب الوقوع حکم اعدام يک نوجوان ديگر ابراز می کند». اتحاديه اروپا از ايران خواسته است تا بيدرنگ اجرای حکم اعدام صلاح تاسه و ديگر نوجوانان زیر ۱۸ محکوم به اعدام را متوقف کند. اتحاديه اروپا در بيانيه خود همچنين خواهان توقف حکم اعدام بهنود شجاعی، محمد فدايی، سعيد جزی، بهنام زارع  و ابومسلم سهرابی شده است. اين بيانيه افزوده است: اعدام نوجوانان زير ۱۸ سال نقض تعهدات بين المللی پذيرفته شده از سوی ايران است. در اين بيانيه آمده است:«ايران می بايست به طور کاملا به تعهدات پذيرفته شده در کنواسيون بين المللی حقوق مدنی و سياسی و کنواسيون حقوق کودک را رعايت کند». در همين زمينه يک نوجوان ۱۷ ساله، روز سه شنبه ۲۱ خرداد سال جاری در شهر سنندج به دار آويخته شد. وی متهم شده بود که در سن ۱۵  سالگی، پسر بچه ده ساله ای را به قتل رسانده است. محمد حسن زاده، نوجوان سنندجی، متهم شده بود که در سن پانزده سالگی پسر بچه ۱۰ ساله ای را به قتل رسانده است.

همچنین قرار بود روز چهارشنبه ۲۲ خرداد ماه  بهنود شجاعی و محمد فدايی به اتهام قتل زمانی که زير ۱۸ سال سن داشته اند، اعدام شوند. حکم اعدام اين دو جوان به دستور آيت الله هاشمی شاهرودی، رييس قوه قضاييه به تعويق افتاد. اين در حالی است که سازمان عفو بين الملل در مورد سرنوشت سعيد جزی، جوان ۲۱ ساله ای که قرار است اوايل تير ماه اعدام شود، ابراز نگرانی کرده است. اتحادیه اروپا در حالی نسبت به سرنوشت یک نوجوان ابراز نگرانی می کند که طبق احکام اسلامی، اطفال در صورت ارتکاب جرم مبرا از مسئوليت کيفری هستند و تربيت آنان با نظر دادگاه بر عهده سرپرست اطفال و کانون اصلاح و تربيت اطفال است. اما اختلاف نظر ميان اسلامگرايان و مدافعين حقوق بشر از جايی آغاز می شود که سن کودکی بايد تعريف شود. برخلاف کنوانسيون های جهانی که سن ۱۸ سالگی به عنوان سن پايان کودکی درنظر گرفته شده، در قوانين اسلامی، سن بلوغ شرعی برای پسر ۱۵ سال تمام و برای دختر ۹ سال تمام ذکر شده است سازمان عفو بين الملل در آخرين گزارش خود اعلام کرده است که طی سال گذشته ايران با ۳۱۷ اعدام در اين سال، رتبه دوم را در اين زمينه دارد. اين در حالی است که بنا به گزارش عفو بين الملل، تعداد اعدام ها در ايران، در سال پيش از آن ۱۷۷ نفر بوده که در سال ۲۰۰۷ به ۳۱۷ نفر، افزايش يافته است. سياست اعدام در جمهوری اسلامی همواره مورد انتقاد گروه های حقوق بشری در جهان بوده است. در سپتامبر سال ۲۰۰۷، مجمع عمومی سازمان ملل با اکثريت آراء قطعنامه ای را تصويب کرد که بر اساس آن مجازات اعدام بايد برچيده شود. این در حالی است که در ایران همچنان مجازات اعدام اجرا می شود

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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 people convicted of crimes committed when they were under the age of 18. However, since 1990 Iran has executed at least 30 juvenile offenders, seven of them in 2007 and two in 2008.
A Kurdish boy, Mohammad Hassanzadeh, believed to be aged 16 or 17, was hanged in Sanandaj prison on 10 June. He had been convicted of murdering a 10-year-old boy; he had been aged about 15 at the time (see Kurdish boy executed in Iran, at: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/kurdish-boy-executed-iran-20080611). Another juvenile offender, Javad Shoja’i, was executed in the central city of Esfahan on 26 February. He had been sentenced to qesas (retribution) for a murder carried out when he was 16.
At least 85, and possibly many more, other juvenile offenders are now on death row in Iran. The execution of juvenile offenders is prohibited under international law. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, and supports the global trend away from the use of the death penalty, powerfully expressed in the UN General Assembly’s resolution calling for a worldwide moratorium on executions on 18 December 2007.
For more information about executions of juvenile offenders in Iran, please see: Iran: The last executioner of children (MDE 13/059/2007, June 2007), http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engmde130592007.
For more information about the reprieve handed down to Mohammad Feda’i on 10 June, see Iran: Reprieve should be first step in ending juvenile executions (11 June 2008), http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/iran-reprieve-should-be-first-step-ending-juvenile-executions-20080611

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, English or your own language:

- welcoming the stay of execution granted to Mohammad Feda’i;
- calling on the authorities to commute his death sentence, as he is facing execution for a crime committed when he was under 18;
- pointing out that in a letter made public on 7 June Mohammad Feda’i described how he had been tortured and how he was forced to confess, both of which are strictly illegal under Iranian and international human rights law;
- acknowledging that governments have a right and responsibility to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offences in proceedings that meet international standards for fair trial, but pointing out that the death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment;
- reminding them that Iran is a state party to both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which prohibits the use of the death penalty against those under the age of 18 at the time of offence, and that the execution of Mohammad Feda’i would therefore be a violation of international law.

APPEALS TO:

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
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran 1316814737, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:                    info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation:          Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:                    dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
via website: www.president.ir/email
and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 24 July 2008.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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 people convicted of crimes committed when they were under the age of 18. However, since 1990 Iran has executed at least 30 juvenile offenders, seven of them in 2007 and two in 2008.
A Kurdish boy believed to be 16 or 17 years old was hanged in Sanandaj prison on 10 June 2008. He had been convicted of the murder of another boy, aged 10. He had been about 15 at the time (see Kurdish boy executed in Iran, at: http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/kurdish-boy-executed-iran-20080611 ). On 26 February 2008 Javad Shoja’i, who was sentenced to qesas, or retribution, for a murder he carried out at the age of 16, was executed in the central city of Esfahan.
At least 85 other juvenile offenders, possibly many more, are now on death row in Iran. The execution of juvenile offenders is prohibited under international law. Amnesty International opposes the death penalty in all cases, and supports the global trend away from the use of the death penalty, powerfully expressed in the UN General Assembly’s resolution calling for a worldwide moratorium on executions on 18 December 2007.
The family of a murder victim have the right either to insist on execution, or to pardon the killer and receive financial compensation. A convicted murderer has no right to seek pardon or commutation from the state, in violation of Article 6(4) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
For more information about executions of juvenile offenders in Iran, please see: Iran: The last executioner of children (MDE 13/059/2007, June 2007), http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engmde130592007.
For more information about the reprieve handed down to Behnoud Shojaee on 10 June, see Iran: Reprieve should be first step in ending juvenile executions (11 June 2008), http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/iran-reprieve-should-be-first-step-ending-juvenile-executions-20080611

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English or your own language:

- welcoming the stay of execution of Behnoud Shojaee;
- calling on the authorities to commute his death sentence, as he is facing execution for a crime committed when he was under 18;
- acknowledging that governments have a right and responsibility to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offences in proceedings that meet international standards for fair trial, but pointing out that no one should be executed for crimes committed when under 18 and that the death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment;
- calling on the authorities to pass, as a matter of urgency, legislation abolishing the death penalty for all offences committed by those under 18, in accordance with Iran’s obligations as a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

APPEALS TO:

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
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran 1316814737, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:                    info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation:          Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:                    dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir OR via website: www.president.ir/email
and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals 24 July 2008.