President and Co-Founder of Stop Child Executions Nazanin Afshin-Jam will be speaking at the 4th World Congress Against the Death Penalty about juvenile executions between February 24th-26th in Geneva. 
SCE will be present at the World Congress against death penaltyPresident and Co-Founder of Stop Child Executions Nazanin Afshin-Jam will be speaking at the 4th World Congress Against the Death Penalty about juvenile executions between February 24th-26th in Geneva. Arash Rahmanipour was a juvenile when he was executedSudden and Unannounced Execution of Two Political Prisoners (audio interview with attorney) A Letter from the Father of Amir Amrollahi, a Teenager on Death Row6 January 2010
It should be noted that Iran has joined the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 2006. Article 37 of the convention states: “Neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without possibility of release shall be imposed for offences committed by persons below eighteen years of age.” Additionally, based on clause 5 of article 6 of the Civil and Political Rights Act, capital punishment should not be an option for those who committed crimes before they were 18. Court decides Benyamin Rasouli will not be executed. Here is a one on one interview with him14 دی 1388 Source: http://schrr.net/spip.php?article7722 An interview with Benyamin Rasouli, a young man rescued from execution In the Islamic Shaira Law practiced and imposed in Iran, in the case of murder (first or second degree, and even at times manslaughter), the family of the victim has the final say. They can either opt for Qesas, an eye for an eye punishment which would be execution in case of homicide, or forgive the defendant in return for Diah, or “blood money.” Article 37 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that “…capital punishment nor life imprisonment without possibility of release shall be imposed for offences committed by persons below eighteen years of age.” Iran is a signatory to this convention [and has accepted this section without any condition]. Nevertheless, several young offenders in Iran are hanged each year. The punishment for youth who commit murder, drug smuggling, and engagement in sexual relationships is punishable by death- this has been one of the most important human rights challenges in Iran. Adolescents accused of murder committed the crime at a young age on another person their age as a result of immature conflicts. These youth are sentenced to death for manslaughter (homicide without premeditation and often accidental). Benyamin Rasouli is one of the youth who was released after the family of the victim forgave him. What follows is an interview conducted with Benyamin by Saba Vasefi. Q: How was Hossein [the victim] killed? |
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"The overwhelming international consensus that the death penalty should not apply to juvenile offenders stems from the recognition that young persons, because of their immaturity, may not fully comprehend the consequences of their actions and should therefore benefit from less severe sanctions than adults. More importantly, it reflects the firm belief that young persons are more susceptible to change, and thus have a greater potential for rehabilitation than adults." Mary Robinson, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights |