Masoud was 13 years old when he was separated from his mother. The court gave the custody of Masoud and his two siblings to his father who was a drug addict. According to Islamic Sharia laws of Iran, the custody of children are given to the fathers.  Masoud and his 2 siblings did not like to live with their father and grandmother. Not only they were very old and incapable of caring for them but they also they mistreated them. Although the father was very well to do but the children were also financially deprived. The father and grandmother were always angry with the children because their mother had divorced their addict father.

Masoud was not allowed to visit his mother. His mother later was forced to marry another man 20 year older than herself. Masoud was in midst of puberty and his father and grandmother constant degradation of his mother was causing much emotional pressure on him. At the age of 16, twice he attempted to commit suicide but he was saved. He did not care for his studies anymore and often skipped school. He often stayed out in the streets until late at nights only to avoid going home until 6 months ago when he came home late again and found his father and grandmother waiting for him. After much arguments, they again started degrading him and his mother. Masoud could no longer stand the profanities being used against his mother. This time he lost control of his emotions and attacked his father and grandmother with a knife. ” I don’t know what happened or what I did, until the time I found myself in hospital”.  This happened 6 months ago.

Now 17 years old; Masoud is waiting for his death sentence which is expected to be carried out when he reaches the 18 years of age.

Last month Iran executed one of the children’s who were listed on the Stop Child Executions Campaign. However by adding Masoud the list of known names of children facing execution in Iran has now reached 33. Stop Child Executions Campaign demand reversal of the execution order because Masoud was less than 18 years old at the time of incident.