|
1
|
- www.stopchildexecutions.com
- October 2008
|
|
2
|
- FACTS
- SOLUTIONS
- TO: IRAN SUPREME LEADER – Ayatollah Khamenei
- TO: IRAN HEAD OF JUDICIARY – Ayatollah Shahrudi
- TO: IRAN PARLIAMENT – Majlis
- TO: IRAN PRESIDENT AND RELATED MINISTERS
- TO: THE UNITED NATIONS
- TO: International Community, Governments, European Union, Human Rights
Organizations and Activists
- TO: IRANIAN LAWYERS AND ACTIVISTS
- TO: IRANIAN MEDIA, JOURNALISTS, ARTISTS, …
- TO: THE PARENTS OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS
- TO: THE GENERAL PUBLIC
- REFERENCES
- CONTACT
|
|
3
|
- As of October 2008 at least 140 juveniles are known to face execution in
Iran.
- As of October 2008 at least 6 juveniles have been executed in Iran.
- Iran is the only country in the world who is known to have executed
juveniles in 2008.
- 32 juveniles are known to have been executed since 2005, Iran accounts
for 26 of them.
|
|
4
|
- Neither 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.
|
|
5
|
- “Sentence of death shall not be imposed for crimes committed by persons
below eighteen years of age “
- Iran is a signatory to this Covenant.
|
|
6
|
- Immediately commute all death sentences for those sentenced to execution
for crimes committed before the age of 18.
- Order the Judiciary and Parliament to immediately implement the
following recommendations:
|
|
7
|
- Immediately implement a moratorium on all executions of persons
convicted of crimes committed before the age of eighteen. 2
In conformity with the international juvenile justice standards
immediately commute those sentences.
- Ensure that children in conflict with the law have prompt access to
impartial legal assistance, including assistance in proving their age at
the time of an alleged offense, and require police, prosecution, and
judicial authorities to record the ages of children who come before
them. 2
- Ensure that judicial authorities understand and enforce the ban on
juvenile death penalty, including providing judges and prosecutors with
training on its application, and by ordering a review of all death
sentences where there is doubt that the individual was over 18 at the
time of the offense. 2
- Create a complete list of all juveniles who were sentenced to death for
crimes committed before the age of 18, including their names, ages at
the time of their alleged crimes, details of the their case and where
they are being kept.
- Order a complete review of all existing cases of juveniles facing
executions at all stages of arrest, investigation, trial, and sentencing
by judges trained in juvenile cases, and in developing sentencing
options that promote the rehabilitation and social reintegration of
children in conflict with the law.
- Assure that juveniles are only tried in specialized juvenile courts by
trained judges.
- Assign a special desk to consult and accommodate both families of
victims and of the accused. Assign mediation and arbitration
committees and counseling.
|
|
8
|
- Urgently revise and then approve the draft Juvenile Crimes Investigation
Act to ensure that it explicitly prohibits the execution or life
imprisonment without possibility of parole of those convicted of crimes
committed under the age of 18, including those sentenced to qesas for
murder or to death for hodoud crimes that carry the death penalty.
- Revise the Iranian Penal code in accordance with Iran's obligations
under the ICCPR and the CRC not to execute juvenile offenders.
- Codify the Iranian Penal code to include a provision that juveniles only
be tried in specialized juvenile courts by specialized judges to deal
with adolescent sensitivities.
- If convicted and sentenced to a prison term, it should be mandated in
lran's Penal code to hold juveniles in juvenile detention and not
in cells with adults.
- Remove Elm-e-ghazi (judges understanding) as a basis for issuing a
verdict.
- Revise Iranian legislation to ensure that anyone facing judicial
execution by the state can seek pardon or commutation of their sentence,
in line with Iran's obligations under Article 6(4) of the ICCPR.
- Pass in to law the sale of all weapons including cold weapons such as
knives to under 18 as illegal.
- Endorse the terms of the Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC)
unconditionally.
|
|
9
|
- Clearly state that the imposition of the death penalty on juvenile
offenders is expressly prohibited by international human rights treaties
and that the prohibition on such executions is so widely observed that
it has attained the status of a peremptory norm of international law. 2
- Publish a report of the countries who have
- 1. Not signed the ICCPR and CRC and urge them to sign and implement
these treaties.
- 2. Conditionally signed the ICCPR and CRC (e.g. Iran) and urge them to
unconditionally sign and implement or fully remove their name from the
list of countries which have approved the conventions as such countries
simply use their signatures for lip service and propaganda while not
fully committed to full implementations of the terms of their
agreements.
- 3. Signed or conditionally signed but do not comply. Demand their
compliance or remove them from the list.
- Issue deadlines and ultimatums to the above governments for immediate
compliance otherwise address non-compliance through appropriate
departments as well as at the UN General Assembly for disciplinary
actions.
- Call on Iran to put an immediate end to the practice and ensure that
their legal codes do not permit the execution of persons who were under
the age of 18 at the time of the offense for which they were convicted.
2
- Provide Iran with technical assistance and supervision in developing
strong mechanisms to protect children at all stages of arrest,
investigation, trial, and sentencing, and in developing sentencing
options that promote the rehabilitation and social reintegration of
children in conflict with the law. 2
- Arrange for regular UN visits of the juveniles and the prisons where
they are being kept.
|
|
10
|
- Demand the Iranian authorities to comply with the above recommendations
and to announce an immediate moratorium on all executions of those
convicted of an alleged offence under age 18 at the time of the crime,
including those sentenced to qesas for murder. 1
- Demand the United Nations to implement the above recommendations.
- Form an international coalition group of human, children and prisoner’s
rights organizations and activists to address the issue of child
executions jointly.
|
|
11
|
- Create a coalition group of attorneys and human rights activists to
assist juvenile offenders with a toll free phone number, website and
email HOTLINE for access to the coalition attorney group.
- Publicize this coalition to the general public through media, internet
blogs and word of mouth so that minors facing death sentence and
their families will have someone to consult with prior to the court
hearings as SCE has observed that most known cases seem to have been
referred to specialized attorneys dealing with juveniles only after the
initial execution verdicts had already been issued.
- Create a standardized system and database of all children known to face
execution and follow each case. To start with the SCE list of juveniles
facing execution is the most comprehensive list at this time: www.stopchildexecutions.com/scedata.aspx.
Additional information can be searched via SCE website at www.stopchildexecutions.com
and SCE news blog at http://scenews.blog.com
- Create a public relation contact or spokesperson to issue press releases
and liaise with Iranian and international human rights groups,
activists, news media, and the United Nations and Government
authorities.
- Form a committee to counsel and mediate between families of the victims
and the accused.
|
|
12
|
- Investigate and report the full name, age and the news and details of
the cases of juveniles facing executions as well as those who have been
executed. Create documentaries, articles and artwork regarding the
subject of child executions and its effect of the families and the
society.
- Warn adults , parents and especially the juveniles about the dangers of
using weapons including knives. Promote proper self defense practices as
well as use of tools such as pepper spray and alike for self defense by
adults.
|
|
13
|
- Form support groups to communicate and share their experiences as well
as forming a joint voice to address the media and well as demanding
change to the laws from the government. Parents can also share their
experiences in mediation with the families of the victims and in
obtaining proper counsel.
|
|
14
|
- Sign the Stop Child Executions Petition available in 6 languages (www.stopchildexecutions.com)
and pass it on to your contacts.
- Voice your opposition to Child Executions by holding legal and peaceful
rallies and gatherings
- Post a link to www.stopchildexecutions.com on blogs, internet forums and
chat rooms.
- Join and assist the Stop Child Executions team of volunteers
- Make a donation to Stop Child Executions
- Write personal letters to the UN, at the following addresses, and ask
them to pressure the Iranian Officials to stop the executions of those
who have allegedly committed an offence before the age of 18.
- UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon and
UN High Commissioner of Human Rights Navanethem Pillay
- Petitions Team
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland
E-mail: tb-petitions@ohchr.org
- Write a letter to the Iranian Authorities
- Contact TV/Radio and Print Media about the plight of these children.
- Write to country leaders & politicians, your local members of
parliament and your minister of foreign affairs.
- Write to International Organizations
|
|
15
|
- Iran - The last executioner of children - AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL – June
2007
- Enforcing the International Prohibition on the Juvenile Death Penalty -
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH submission for the Secretary-General's report
on follow-up to General Assembly resolution 62/149 on a death penalty
moratorium - May 30, 2008
|
|
16
|
- Email: info@stopchildexecutions.com
- Web: www.stopchildexecutions.com
- News Blog: http://scenews.blog.com
- Non-commercial use of this document is authorized with reference to
- www.stopchildexecutions.com
|
|
17
|
|
Notes
