STOP Child Executions in IRAN

Did you know that only 5 countries in the world still impose the death penalty to people who are under the age of 18 at the time of a “committed crime”? IRAN IS ONE OF THOSE 5 COUNTRIES!

The only countries in the world who allow child executions are Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Sudan and IRAN.

As an Iranian, this is disturbing and deeply saddening. The situation regarding child executions is getting increasingly worse.

Read this report by The Voices of Children in Iran a #iranelection movement to support the children of Iran.

Mohamad Jamali Paghal’eh Zamani allegedly killed his friend when Zamani was 15 years old. A children’s court sentenced him to 5 years in prison, but the supreme court denied the sentence and issued a death sentence.

Introduction
Only five nations in the world continue impose the death penalty on people who were underage (less than 18 years) at the time that they allegedly committed a crime. These countries are Iran, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen. Iran under Islamic rule holds the leading position in juvenile executions. The real number of juveniles executed for political or criminal charges is unknown; at this moment there are over 140 juvenile offenders on death row.

Description of the problem
Executions in the last 30 years have been a fundamental part of the Islamic regime’s internal policies. The majority of these executions have been carried out in public, and this, as the regime without any shame officially declares, is “to insert the fury of God in the hearts of God’s people.” Execution of juvenile offenders has continued in the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) despite the fact that Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and other human rights watchdogs have repeatedly urged IRI to cease these executions and seriously consider amendment of the civil code to prohibit executions for crimes committed under the age of 18. It is recognized by everyone, including the IRI’s judiciary officials, that these executions are clear violations of international law (see “International Standards,” below). But protests by the international community have not led to any significant changes in this regime’s behaviour.

As in other countries like the United States, those who are poor are disproportionately likely to suffer this punishment: children whose families are poor who can’t pay blood money (qesas), or children whose families are not accorded full legal status in Iran such as Afghan refugees, or street children with no one in a position to defend them, are the ones who are more likely to end up on death row.

Although the execution of a single child offender is an indictment of the legitimacy of the sentencing government, some governments are in fact worse offenders than others. The figure below shows the trend in the execution of childhood offenders according to presidential leadership (data obtained from Amnesty International). It is clear that the tenor of the Islamic Republic of Iran changed from 2004 forward, when executions of child offenders in Iran experienced a pronounced increase just before Ahmadinejad’s first term as president; this increase has remained high and fairly stable throughout the duration of Ahmadinejad’s presidency.

Consequences
We severely oppose the capital punishment in general, and we oppose the even more appalling capital punishment for juveniles in particular. When execution of our people becomes a policy, and Qesas (1), Hadd (2), and Shari’a “law” (3) are fundamental instruments of addressing social, political and economical issues, the victims are not only the children executed in accordance with an inhumane Islamic judiciary system. This inhumane ideology is “creating a truculent society alienated to compassion, and regenerating itself through a culture of revenge, incivility and asperity (Bahrini, Children First Now).”

Summary and conclusions
While the IRI leads the world in executing child offenders, it is our firm conviction that this regime is susceptible to political pressure both from inside and outside of the country, particularly since the 2009 election.

We can not expect the international community by itself to take serious political and legal measures to force the Islamic regime to respect international laws and conventions. And while we deeply admire and support the efforts of the international organizations addressing the issue of child executions in Iran, we understand that the Islamic regime is by its nature incapable of a humane approach to children’s issues as well as any other of our problematic issues of today’s Iran. The truth is that this regime is the main reason and cause of these problems.

Children issue in Iran, child executions, like many other issues are matters of life and death, and should be addressed as such. We can not leave this to the aftermath of coming political revolution. Pressure on the Islamic regime to stop child executions needs to be intensified. We need to support, motivate, and intensify activities of international foundations, and draw the attention of the general public of the world to this urgent matter, as well as reflecting, and promoting the activities of those selfless brave women and men struggling in Iran to make difference. Our case against the Islamic regime must be heard. Our potentials must be mobilized. The world must act against this barbarism now.

(1) Qesas is defined as “a punishment where the criminal’s sentence must be equivalent to their crime.” In the West this is commonly referred to as “an eye for an eye.” Definition taken from Z Arshadi, Islamic Republic of Iran and Penal Codes
(2) Hadd is defined as “a punishment in which its form, extent and character is defined in sharia’ laws” (article 13). Definition taken from Z Arshadi, Islamic Republic of Iran and Penal Codes
(3) Shari’a law is “the legal framework within which the public and private aspects of life are regulated for those living in a legal system based on Islamic principles of jurisprudence and for Muslims living outside the domain. Sharia deals with many aspects of day-to-day life, including politics, economics, banking, business, contracts, family, sexuality, hygiene, and social issues.” Definition taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharia

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