Tag Archives: row

You are in our minds Delara

Last week human rights attorney Mohammad Mostafaei visited Delara Darabi in Rasht prison. He reported that Delara was very depressed. Delara told Mostafei that she was tired of the waiting and of her unbearble life in prison.

A prisoner of colors:

URGENT CALL: 3 young boys facing imminent executions

Stop Child Executions Campaign
URGENT CALL – 3 imminent child executions
FEB 12, 2008
Isfahan- Iran
Ahmad Mortazavian, Reza Hejazi, Iman Hashemi

Autnews of the Amirkabir university in Tehran reported that according to the Human Rights and Democracy Activists of Iran, three Iranian youth are facing imminent execution in the Dastgerd prison of city of Isfahan, The names of the three boys are:

Ahmad Mortazavian, born 1992 , arrested in 2007 at the age of 15
Reza Hejazi, born 1989, arrested in 2004 at the age of 15
Iman Hashemi, born 1989, arrested in 2005 at the age of 16

According to the report, the death sentence of the three juveniles have been approved and they can be hanged at anytime.

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 (ICCPR) and the CRC, Iran has undertaken not to execute child offenders. since 1990, the ruling Islamic regime in Iran has executed at least 30 juveniles, including more than 6 in 2007. The number of known persons facing execution in Iran for alleged crimes before the age of 18 has reached 95 according to our latest records. According to the statistics provided by an Iranian police official about 170 children (under 18 at time of alleged crime) can be facing execution in Iran. There has been a substantial surge in processing the children’s file for execution and in the past 3 months SCE has reported 16 imminent executions. Earlier this month 42 European countries condemned Iran for the surge in child executions. Iran has broken the world records in 2007 with at least 297 known executions comparing to 177 in 2006.

As of February 2008 Stop Child Executions Campaign has recorded 100 children facing executions worldwide: 95 in Iran, 2 in Saudi Arabia, 2 in Sudan and 1 in Yemen. In 2007 at least 7 were reported to have been executed : 6 in Iran and 1 in Saudi Arabia. 3 are known to have been saved from execution: 2 in Iran and 1 in Yemen.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

– Call on the Iranian authorities to immediately halt the executions of Ahmad Mortazavian, Reza Hejazi and Iman Hashemi kept in Isfahan’s Dastgerd prison.
– Express concern that Ahmad Mortazavian, Reza Hejazi and Iman Hashemi were sentenced to death for a crime committed when he was under 18;
- Calling for the death sentences against Ahmad Mortazavian, Reza Hejazi and Iman Hashemi to be commuted;
– Remind the authorities that Iran is a state party to 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 people convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18, and that the executions of Ahmad Mortazavian, Reza Hejazi and Iman Hashemi would therefore be a violation of international law;
– Urging the authorities to pass legislation to abolish the death penalty for offences committed by anyone under the age of 18, so as to bring Iran’s domestic law into line with its obligations under international law;
– Stating that you acknowledge the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those children suspected of criminal offences, but unconditionally opposes their 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
Salutation: Your Excellency
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Fax: +98 21 3390 4986 (please keep trying, if the called is answered, say “fax please”)

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:
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.

for more information about how to help visit:https://www.stopchildexecutions.com/how-you-can-help.aspx

سه نوجوان در زندان دستگرد اصفهان در آستانه اعدام

خبرنامه دانشگاه صنعتی امیرکبیر- پلی تکنیک تهران

گزارشهایی که اخیرا به دست ما رسیده حاکی از آن است از بند نوجوانان زندان دستگرد اصفهان ۳ نوجوان به مرک محکوم شده اند و نامهای آن ها عبارتند از

احمد مرتضویان، متولد ۱۳۷۰، تاریخ دستگیری ۱۳۸۵، ۱۵ ساله
رضا حجازی، متولد ۱۳۶۷، تاریخ دستگیری ۱۳۸۲، ۱۵ ساله
ایمان هاشمی، متولد ۱۳۶۷، تاریخ دستگیری ۱۳۸۳، ۱۶ ساله

حکم اعدام این ۳ نوجوان اخیرا تایید گردیده و این حکم به اجرای احکام زندان ابلاغ شده و امکان به اجرا گذاشتن حکم آن ها هر لحظه امکان پذیر است

فعالین حقوق بشر و دمکراسی در ایران

Another chance for Behnam Zare

Faced with the worldwide condemnation of imminent execution of Behnam Zare, Iran’s head of judiciary Ayatollah Shahrudi ordered Behnam’s file to be sent back for negotiation with the family of the alleged victim. This is the second time that Shahrudi is sending the case for mediation. Iran’s Islamic sharia law leaves the final decisions of life or death of those condemned to death to the family of the victims (Ghisas). The file was sent to division of enforcements for execution after Shahrudi’s final permit to execute, however faced with the international outrage Ayatollah Shahrudi retracted his initial execution permit and ordered another mediation.

Nazanin Afshin-Jam and Stop Child Executions wish to thank Behnam’s attorney Mohammad Mostafaei, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for their immediate response and their efforts through the Geneva office, Amnesty International and its members, president of European Union, authorities in India, international news agencies, international committee against executions, internet websites and bloggers, SCE volunteers and supporers and 100’s of human rights advocates inside and outside Iran for the letters sent to Ayatollah Shahrudi and Iranian authorities. Together we will abolish the inhumane and illegal practice of child executions in Iran and worldwide once and forever.

To read more about Behnam Zare visit http:scenews.blog.com//Behnam+Zare/

فرصتی دیگر برای نجات بهنام زارع از اعدام

بی بی سی

رئیس قوه قضائیه فرصت دیگری به بهنام زارع، جوانی که در آستانه شانزده سالگی مرتکب قتل شد داده تا با کسب رضایت خانواده مقتول، از اعدام نجات پیدا کن

د.

محمد مصطفائی، وکیل بهنام زارع به خبرگزاری دانشجویان ایران گفته که رئیس قوه قضائیه، پرونده موکل او را مطالعه کرده و سپس آن را به شورای حل اختلاف شیراز ارجاع داده و گفته است که سعی شود این پرونده با صلح و سازش و رضایت اولیای دم (پدر و مادر مقتول) فیصله پیدا کند، در غیر این صورت موازین قانونی اجرا شود، یعنی حکم اعدام بهنام زارع اجرا گردد.

به گفته وکیل بهنام زارع، در پی این دستور، دایره اجرای احکام دادسرای شیراز طی نامه‌ ای از شورای حل اختلاف شیراز خواسته است تا در جلسه‌ مشترکی، خانواده مقتول را دعوت و در مورد اخذ رضایت با آنها صحبت کند.

این در حالی است که تلاش برای جلب رضایت خانواده مقتول طی بیش از دو سال به نتیجه ای نینجامیده و چند روز پیش، در پی پافشاری خانواده مقتول بر اعدام بهنام زارع، دستور اجرای حکم او به زندان عادل آباد شیراز ابلاغ شده بود.

بهنام زارع اهل روستای دستجرد از توابع شهرستان استهبانات در استان فارس است و در اول اردیبهشت 1384، یک ماه پیش از آنکه به شانزده سالگی برسد، بر سر پرتاب سنگ بسوی کبوتری که متعلق به جوانی به نام مهرداد بوده، با وی وارد نزاع می شود و مهرداد را از پا در می آورد.

بهنام در جلسات بازجویی گفته که مهرداد بارها و بارها او را در مدرسه کتک زده و قصد آزار و اذیت او را داشته، در مدرسه چندین مرتبه بینی او را شکسته بوده و مدام او را تعقیب می ‌کرده و هیچ کجا او را آرام نمی‌ گذاشته است.

از بهنام زارع نقل شده است: “از آنجا که او [مهرداد] سه سال بزرگتر از من بود، مجبور بودم از دستش فرار کنم، توانایی درگیر شدن با او را نداشتم تا اینکه یک روز در حالی که من در زمین بازی حوالی منزل عمویم در حال بازی فوتبال بودم، به زمین بازی آمد و گفت بیا برویم کبوترهایم را نشانت دهم، من هم همراه او رفتم اما او باز هم قصد آزار و اذیتم را داشت، در آنجا با هم درگیر شدیم، مهرداد چاقو داشت و من هم تبرزین کوچکی همراهم بود، این تبرزین را برای کار همراه داشتم، مهرداد اول چاقویش را درآورد و خطی روی بدنم انداخت، شروع به فحاشی کرد و گفت که من توان مبارزه با او را ندارم، من هم از سر عصبانیت تبرزین را درآوردم و می ‌خواستم خطی روی بدنش بیندازم که جاخالی داد و تبرزین به گردنش فرورفت، من از ترس فرار کردم و نزد پدرم رفتم، وقتی به پدرم ماجرا را گفتم او مرا به پلیس تحویل داد”.

تلاش خانواده بهنام زارع و مهلتی که از خانواده مقتول می خواهند بیش از یک سال و نیم اجرای حکم اعدام را متوقف کرده بود تا اینکه سرانجام، این حکم اخیراً و در حالی که سن بهنام زارع به هیجده سالگی رسیده برای اجرا به زندان عادل آباد شیراز ابلاغ شده است.

وکیل بهنام زارع می گوید صدور حکم اعدام برای موکل او که در زمان ارتکاب جرم سنش زیر هیجده سال بوده، با کنوانسیون حقوق کودک که ایران از امضاکنندگان آن است مغایرت دارد.

مقامات قضائی ایران نیز بارها تأکید کرده اند که اعدام افرادی که پیش از رسیدن به سن هیجده سالگی مرتکب قتل شده اند متوقف شده، اما همچنان مواردی از صدور حکم اعدام برای افراد کمسال گزارش می شود

5 more children added to Iran's execution row

Human Rights Activists group in Iran published a list of 9 Iranian youth who are kept in Rajai-Shahr prison awaiting execution for alleged crimes committed before the age of 18. The prison is located in the city of Karaj in the suburbs of Tehran. They also sent the list to Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour.

Name of Ali Mahin-Torabi who is also kept in Rajai-Shar prison was missing from the published list. 5 names were published for the first time and were not on SCE’s list of 87 Iranian youth facing execution. This increases the number of known cases to 92 juveniles facing executions in Iran for alleged crimes before the age of 18.

The names and ages at the time of alleged crime – held in Rajai-Shar prison with execution verdict:
(new names are shown in blod)
1- Behrouz Shojaee, 16
2- Masoud Kafshir, under 18
3- Mehdi Azimi, under 18
4- Hamed Pour-Heydari, under 18
5- Mostafa Naghdi, under 18
6- Beniamin Rasouli, 15
7- Morteza Feiz, 17
8- Saeed Jazee, 17
9- Hossein Toranj, 17
10- Ali Mahin-Torabi, 17

According to the statistics provided by an Iranian police official about 170 minors can be facing execution in Iran. This number may be even higher as according to the reports, at least a further 15 Afghan juvenile offenders may be under sentence of death.

Rajai-Shahr Prison: Karaj-Tehran Photo: UNODC

نوجوانان زندان رجایی شهر

فعالان حقوق بشر در ایران

اعدام کودکان زیر 18 سال یکی از موارد بسیار نادر در جهان است که در کشور ایران همچنان قربانیانی را در پی دارد در طی سالهای اخیر عده ای معدود

از این قربانیان با اطلاع رسانی مدافعان حقوق بشر نجات یافتند. اما به دلیل محدودیت های که حکومت ایران متوجه فعالان حقوق بشری کرده است بسیاری از این موارد به سازمان های حقوق بشری گزارش نشده است و قربانیان بی شماری را نیز تا کنون در پی داشته است .

حکومت ایران برای توجیه عمل غیر انسانی خود کودکان را تا رسیدن به سن قانونی (+18) ، مد نظر اعلامیه ها و میثاق های جهانی حقوق بشر در زندان نگاه می دارد و سپس آنها را به چوبه های اعدام می سپارد ، اگر چه با تلاش های مدافعان حقوق بشری برخی از آنان از اعدام نجات یافتند ولی جمهوری اسلامی همچنان از لغو چنین قانونی سر باز می زند و تنها کسانی از مرگ نجات می یابند که از سوی رسانه ها و یا مدافعان حقوق بشری نامشان مطرح شده باشد .

مجموعه فعالان حقوق بشر در ایران اعدام را قتل عمد دولتی می شمارد و اعدام کودکان را شدیدا محکوم می نماید، لذا بدین وسیله ضمن معرفی برخی از زندانیان زندان رجایی شهر ( گوهردشت کرج ) که در سن کودکی یا نوجوانی مرتکب قتل شده اند ، تلاش های خود در جهت افشای موارد مشابه در سایر زندان ها نیز انجام خواهد داد و از سازمان های حقوق بشری برای نجات جان این افراد استمداد می طلبد .

اسامی جمع آوری شده تنها از زندان رجایی شهر کرج می باشد :
بنیامین رسولی - در 15 سالگی مرتکب قتل شده است)
بهروز شجاعی – در 16 سالگی مرتکب قتل شده است )
مرتضی فیض(- در سن 17 سالگی مرتکب قتل شده است )
مسعود کفیشیر - اندرزگاه 4 سالن 12 ، کمتر از 18 سال )
سعید جزی - اندرزگاه 4 سالن 12 ، کمتر از 18 سال )
حسین ترنج - کمتر از 18 سال )
مهدی عظیمی - کمتر از 18 سال )
حامد پور حیدری - کمتر از 18 سال )
مصطفی نقدی - کمتر از 18 سال )

رونوشت به :

عفو بین الملل
دیدبان حقوق بشر
کمیسر عالی حقوق بشر - لوئیز آربور)

URGENT CALL to save Sri Lankan girl from beheading

In July 2007 Amnesty International and Stop Child Executions Campaign reported the news of a Sri Lankan girl facing execution by beheading for an alleged crime at the age of 17. Today Amnesty International issued an update and URGENT CALL to save Rizana Nafeek from imminent beheading

As of February 2008 Stop Child Executions Campaign has recorded 92 children facing executions worldwide: 87 in Iran, 2 in Saudi Arabia, 2 in Sudan and 1 in Yemen, all Islamic countries. In 2007, at least 7 were reported to have been executed : 6 in Iran by hanging and 1 boy was beheaded in Saudi Arabia.

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

PUBLIC
AI Index: MDE 23/006/2008
08 February 2008
UPDATE
Further Information on UA 175/07 (MDE 23/026/2007, 05 July 2007)/ Death sentence
SAUDI ARABIA

Rizana Nafeek (f), aged 19, Sri Lankan national

A court in Saudi Arabia is reported to be considering Sri Lankan domestic worker Rizana Nafeek’s appeal against her death sentence. If the sentence is upheld, she could be at imminent risk of execution. This concern is heightened as the rate of executions has increased in 2008, with at least 25 people, including three women, executed since 8 January. At least 158 people, including three women, were executed in 2007.

Rizana Nafeek was sentenced to death on 16 June 2007 for a murder committed while she was 17 years old. Saudi Arabia is a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which prohibits the execution of offenders for crimes committed when they were under 18 years old.

Rizana Nafeek was arrested in May 2005 on charges of murdering an infant in her care. She had no access to lawyers either during interrogation or at her trial, and it is believed that she confessed to the murder during police questioning, only to later retract her confession.

She apparently told the authorities that she was born in February 1988, but they seem to have ignored this on the basis that her passport indicated that she was born in February 1982. According to information available to Amnesty International she was not allowed to present her birth certificate or other evidence of her age.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Saudi Arabia applies the death penalty for a wide range of offences. Court proceedings fall far short of international standards for fair trial, and take place behind closed doors.

Defendants normally do not have formal representation by a lawyer, and in many cases are not informed of the progress of legal proceedings against them. They may be convicted solely on the basis of confessions obtained under duress, torture or deception.

Saudi Arabia assured the Committee on the Rights of the Child (which monitors states’ implementation of the CRC) in January 2006 that no children had been executed in the country since the CRC came into force in Saudi Arabia in 1997. This is a weaker commitment than is required by the CRC, which demands that capital punishment not be imposed for offences committed by persons below 18 years of age, no matter how old they are when the sentence is actually carried out.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Using your own words, please create a personal appeal and send it as quickly as possible, in Arabic, English or your own language:

– noting reports that Rizana Nafeek’s appeal against her death sentence is currently under consideration;
– expressing concern that Rizana Nafeek’s birth certificate gives her date of birth as February 1988, meaning that she was 17 at the time of her alleged crime;
– pointing out that the execution of juvenile offenders is prohibited by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Saudi Arabia ratified in 1996;
– calling on the authorities to commute her death sentence immediately.

APPEALS TO:

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) 011 966 1403 1185
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: 011 966 1403 1185
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: 011 966 1403 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: 011 966 1461 2061

His Excellency Abdulaziz H.I. ALSOWAYEGH
Ambassador for Saudi Arabia
201 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1K6
Fax: (613) 237-0567

THANKS FOR RESPONDING WITHOUT DELAY TO THIS REQUEST FOR APPEALS ONCE AGAIN.

چرا مهيار پدرش را کشت

مريم رامشت

اخبار تاسف بار و دردناکي همچون ماجراي قتل پدر به دست يک نوجوان به نام مهيار در واقع زنگ خطري براي خانواده هايي است که در آن به ارتباط درست بين والدين توجه نمي شود. در بررسي اين حادثه بايد چند نکته را مورد توجه قرار داد. اولين نکته اينکه فضاي خانواده يي که مهيار در آن زندگي مي کرده است کاملاً متشنج بوده و پدر و مادر به رغم اينکه با هم زندگي مي کردند اما تفاهم لازم را نداشتند و پدر که يک شخصيت پرخاشگر داشته علاوه بر اينکه به خودش صدمه زده به ساير اعضاي خانواده هم صدمه وارد کرده است و روابط درستي با همسر و فرزندش نداشته است. فرد پرخاشگر در ارتباطات خود از استدلال و منطق تبعيت نمي کند و اطرافيان خودش را هم به افرادي پرخاشگر تبديل مي کند. مهيار در شرايطي خاص به شکل انتقام جويانه و بسيار خشن تر از پدر به قصد انتقام گيري از وي، او را به قتل رسانده و در واقع ناخودآگاه اين شيوه را برگزيده است. از سويي آستانه تحمل مهيار به دليل تنش هايي که داشته بسيار پايين آمده چرا که او ارتباط موثر و روش حل مشکلات در زندگي را ياد نگرفته است. والدين مهيار به اين نکته که رفتارشان الگويي براي فرزندشان است توجهي نداشتند و بدون توجه به اينکه فرزندي مثل خود تربيت مي کنند مرتب به پرخاشگري مي پرداختند. نکته ديگر اينکه والديني که با هم اختلاف دارند، متاسفانه فرزندان شان را هم وارد اين اختلاف مي کنند تا در واقع يک حامي داشته باشند و معمولاً حامي مادر فرزند پسر خانواده است چرا که رابطه عاطفي عميقي بين مادر و پسر وجود دارد و از آنجايي که پدر نقش خود را به درستي انجام نمي دهد فرزند پسر جاي او را مي گيرد و در نقش مرد اول خانواده به حمايت از مادر مي پردازد و در اين ميان با توجه به اينکه رفتار پرخاشگرانه پدر را هم آموخته، با خشونت تمام از مادر حمايت مي کند. البته نحوه تاثيرپذيري دختران و پسران متفاوت است، پسراني که پرخاشگري را مي آموزند به همان شيوه هم آن را بروز مي دهند اما دختراني که در برابر رفتار پرخاشگرانه قرار مي گيرند به شدت گوشه گير و درون گرا مي شوند.

نکته مهم ديگر که بايد به آن اشاره کرد، تقاضاي پدر از مادر براي ارتباط جنسي در برابر چشم فرزندشان است. اين مساله در فرهنگ ما يک رفتار نامتعارف است و نشان از پايين بودن خودکنترلي افراد دارد. براي کودکاني که در فرهنگ ما پرورش مي يابند ارتباط جنسي يک تابو است که در واقع در مورد آن تفکرات بازدارنده وجود دارد و هميشه از ديد فرزندان پنهان است. اين حريم فکري بيشتر از سوي والدين ايجاد مي شود و زماني که اين الگوي رفتاري رعايت نشود به فرزند صدمه بسيار جدي وارد مي شود.

پدري که در مقابل فرزند خود چنين حرکت نامتعارفي مي کند در واقع تمام حريم هاي خصوصي را مي شکند و پسر را وارد پروسه يي مي کند که برايش غيرقابل باور است. در اين پرونده نيز حرمت شکني هاي اتفاق افتاده و وابستگي موجود بين مادر و پسر مهيار را مجبور به بروز رفتاري بسيار خشن کرده است. آخرين نکته بي توجهي به تقاضاي طلاق مادر از سوي متوليان قانون و دادگاه خانواده است چرا که غفلت در اين موارد، باعث تصميم گيري نامناسب و يک فاجعه است.

URGENT CALL: Javid's execution order sent for enforcement

The death sentence of Javid (20) [last name unknown] has been approved by the Iranian Supreme Court and sent to the “Ejraye Ahkam” (Enforcement of the judgment) section, according to the state-run news agency ISCAnews. Javid is convicted of a murder, in April of 2005. The report published by ISCAnews is not clear about Javid’s exact age at the time of the conviction of the crime, since the report calls him “the 20 years old offender”. However since the alleged crime was dated back to nearly 3 years ago (2 years and 10 months), there is a high possibility that Javid was under 18 years of age at the time of the alleged offence.

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 (ICCPR) and the CRC, Iran has undertaken not to execute child offenders. since 1990, the ruling Islamic regime in Iran has executed at least 30 juveniles, including more than 6 in 2007. 87 youth are now recorded by SCE to be on death row in Iran for alleged crimes before the age of 18. This number may be even higher as according to the reports, at least a further 15 Afghan juvenile offenders may be under sentence of death. According to the statistics provided by an Iranian police official about 170 children (under 18 at time of alleged crime) can be facing execution in Iran. There has been a surge in processing the children’s file for execution. In the past 3 months, SCE has reported 13 imminent executions for Ali Mahin-Torabi, Mohammad Latif, Delara Darabi, Hossein Haghi, Behnood, Ali, Saeed Jazee, Amir Amorollahi, Rahim Ahmadi, Mohammad Haddadi , Mehyar Haghgoo and Javid. Earlier this month 42 European countries condemned Iran for the surge in child executions. Iran has broken the world records in 2007 with at least 297 recorded executions comparing to 177 in 2006.

As of February 2008 Stop Child Executions Campaign has recorded 92 children facing executions worldwide: 87 in Iran, 2 in Saudi Arabia, 2 in Sudan and 1 in Yemen. In 2007 at least 7 were reported to have been executed : 6 in Iran and 1 in Saudi Arabia. Three are known to have been saved from execution: 2 in Iran and 1 in Yemen.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

– Call on the Iranian authorities to immediately halt the execution of Javid. (make reference to news article since last name is not known)
– Express concern that Javid was sentenced to death for a crime committed when he was under 18;
- Calling for the death sentence against Mehyar be commuted;
– Remind the authorities that Iran is a state party to 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 people convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18, and that the execution of Javid would therefore be a violation of international law;
– Urging the authorities to pass legislation to abolish the death penalty for offences committed by anyone under the age of 18, so as to bring Iran’s domestic law into line with its obligations under international law;
– Stating that you acknowledge the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those children suspected of criminal offences, but unconditionally opposes their death penalty.