17089 people worldwide demanding Iran to stop child executions

SCE : July 24, 2008

This week the petition demanding a halt to child executions in Iran surpassed 17,000 mark. The petition which was initiated by Stop Child Executions a non-profit human rights organization co-founded by Nazanin Afshin-Jam, former Miss Canada , musician and human rights activist was signed by many citizens of the world including many human rights activists and world politicians.

SCE is the leading campaign providing information and updates on the situation of minors on death row in Iran and worldwide. Stop Child Executions works alongside other human rights groups worldwide such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

SCE has direct access to the lawyers in Iran and the families whose children are on death row. Stop Child Executions also has relationships and lobbying power with international bodies including the UN, EU and selective governments. SCE’s aim is to put a permanent end to the situation of child executions in Iran and worldwide. 
 
Since 1990, 34 juveniles have been executed, including more than 6 in 2007 and 2 in 2008. As of July 24, 2008 at least 135 juvenile offenders believed to be on death row in Iran . 142 juvenile offenders are facing execution worldwide: 135 in Iran , 3 in Saudi Arabia , 3 in Sudan and 1 in Yemen .  At least 2 juveniles have been executed in Iran in 2008.   


As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the government of Iran has undertaken not to execute anyone for an offense committed  under the age of 18.
  
Article 6.5 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) declares:
  
“Sentence of death shall not be imposed for crimes committed by persons below eighteen years of age”
 
 Article 37(a) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) provides that:
  
“Neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without possibility of release shall be imposed for offenses committed by persons below eighteen years of age” .
 
Article 9 of Iran ‘s Civil Code states:
  
” Treaties and conventions which have been ratified in accordance with the constitution between the governments of Iran and other governments are defined as laws.” 

 

To join the worldwide call to put an end to child executions globally sign the SCE petition at www.stopchildexecutions.com. The petition is available in 6 languages. SCE also maintain a blog in English and Persian with the updates on juvenile executions news.

Some of the supporters:

  • Nazanin Afshin-Jam, Co-founder, Miss World Canada 2003, artist and human rights advocate
  • David Etebari, Co-founder, Campaign Coordinator, human rights advocate
  • Shirin Ebadi, Iranian Nobel Prize Laureate 2003, Lawyer and human rights advocate
  • Irshad Manji Muslim author activist
  • Mina Ahadi, Head of the International Committee Against Executions
  • Mehrangiz Kar Writer, Human Rights Advocate
  • Mohammad Mostafaei, Attorney for Nazanin Fatehi and Reza Alinejad
  • Nasrin Sotoudeh, Attorney for Sina Paymard and Soghra Najafpour
  • Shadi Sadr, Attorney for Nazanin Fatehi and woman right activist
  • Abdolsamad Khoramshahi, Attorney for Delara Darabi
  • Fatemeh Haghighatjou, Iranian former Member of Parliament, Human Rights advocate
  • Maz Jobrani, Actor – Comedian
  • Dariush Kadivar, Iranian journalist, Film Historian, Writer
  • Amir-Abbas Fakhravar, Former political prisoner
  • Nazanin Fatehi, Former minor on death row in Iran
  • Ali Alinejad, Brother of Reza Alinejad: a minor on death row
  • Ghazal Darabi, Sister of Delara Darabi: a minor on death row
  • Save the Children Sweden
  • Donna and Graham Greene, Australian Music Artists
  • Tim Bowles, Director of Youth for Human Rights International
  • Tarek Fatah, Canada, Founder of Muslim Canadian Congress / activist
  • Neda Shahidyazdani, USA Human Rights Activist

POLITICIANS AND MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENTS:

 

On February 27, 2007 more than 34 members of European Parliament signed a resolution to Stop Child Executions in Iran , [11]. Additionally, this is a list of world pliticians who have signed the Petition:

102 of the 349 Members of the Swedish Parliament:

Barbro Westerholm, Gunnar Andrén, Birgitta Ohlsson, Alice Åström, Wiwi-Anne Johansson, Gudrun Utas, Jenny Fors, Egon Frid, Mats Einarsson, Gunilla Wahlén, Eva Olofsson, Elina Linna, Lars Ohly, Anki Ahlsten, Rossana Dinamarca, Mats Sander, Ulla andersson, Ewa Larsson, Ulrika Carlsson, Göran Lindblad, Kerstin Engle, Helena Leander, Mats Pertoft, Siv Holma, Eva Selin Lindgren, Per Bolund, Gunvor G Ericson, Birgitta Sellén, Solveig Zander, Eva Flyborg, Maria Lundqvist-Brömster, Maria Kornevik Jakobsson, Christer Winbäck, Kristin Oretorp, Holger Gustafsson, Solveig Hellquist, Tina Acketoft, Tina Ehn, barbro westerholm, Max Andersson, Bodil Ceballos, Solveig Zander, Agneta Berliner, Staffan Danielsson, Per Lodenius, Mildred Thulin, Morgan Johansson, Anita Brodén, Karla Lopez, Lars Lilja, Peter Jeppsson, Karin Svensson Smith, Eva-Lena Jansson, Lars Mejern Larsson, Hans Rothenberg, Veronica Palm, Ulla Lö fgren, Inger Jarl Beck, Betty Malmberg, Lars-Ivar Ericson, Annie Johansson, Lennart Pettersson, Fredrik Malm, Hillevi Larsson, Désirée Pethrus Engström, Stefan Attefall, Inger Davidson, Karin Pilsäter, Jan Ertsborn, Marianne Berg, Peter Hultqvist, Emma Henriksson, Torbjörn Björlund, Désirée Liljevall, Lars Tysklind, Nina Larsson, Jennifer Hacker, Ulf Holm, Ola Nilsson, LiseLotte Olsson, Hans Linde, Lena Hallengren, Hans Backman, Josefin Brink, Maryam Yazdanfar, Fredrick Federley, Allan Widman, Mikael Johansson, Johan Pehrson, Jan Ericson, Rolf K Nilsson, Tomas Tobé, Maria Östberg Svanelind, Inger René, Ewa Thalén Finné, Walburga Habsburg, Mats G Nilsson, Gunilla Wahlen and Lars Johansson.

Signatures from Members of European Parliament:

Belgium:
VAN LANCKER, Anne

Czech Republic:
ZVERINA, Jaroslav

Denmark:
THOMSEN, Britta

France:
GIBAULT, Claire
Germany:
BEER, Angelika
BRIE, André
BYRNE, Vivienne
FELEKNAS, Uca
KAUFMANN Sylvia-Yvonne
KUHNE, Helmut
ZIMMER, Gabriele
MARKOV, Helmuth

Greece:
 BATZELI, Katerina

Italy:
AGNOLETTO, Vittorio
AITA, Vincenzo
CATANIA, Giusto
DEL-DO, Eliane
GUIDONI, Umberto
MUSACCHIO, Roberto
MORGANTINI, Luisa

Portugal:
CASACA, Paulo
GOMES, Ana-Maria

Romania:
SILAGHI, Ovidiu

Slovakia:
STASTNY, Peter

Spain:
ROMEVA I RUEDA, Raoul
VALENCIANO, Elena

Sweden:
CARLSHAMRE, Maria
HOLM, Jens
MAC AVAN, Linda
MARKOV, Helmuth
SVENSSON, Eva-Britt
SEGELSTRÖM, Inger

UK:
CASHMAN, Michael
GILL, Neena
LAMBERT, Jean