UN: Hold Ahmadinejad Accountable

Share/Save/Bookmark

SCE Campaign
by SCE Campaign
22-Sep-2008
 
Executions Increase Almost 300 Percent, Persecution of Rights Defenders Intensifies

(New York, September 18, 2008) – Under the administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, basic human rights protection in Iran has deteriorated to new lows, Human Rights Watch and the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said in a briefing paper released today.  
" Iran’s determination to execute juvenile offenders in such large numbers is cruel, barbaric, and earns it a medal of shame...it is time to abolish the death penalty for children in Iran. "
Hadi Ghaemi, coordinator of the International Campaign for Human Rights

The new paper, “Iran Rights crisis Escalates: Faces and Cases from Ahmadinejad’s Crackdown,” (//hrw.org/backgrounder/2008/iran0908/iran0908web.pdf ) documents the dire situation for human rights defenders and key dimensions of the human rights crisis in Iran today. Released ahead of Ahmadinejad’s arrival at the opening ceremonies of the UN General Assembly, the paper highlights Iran’s status as the world leader in juvenile executions. Iran is known to have executed six juvenile offenders so far in 2008, and more than 130 other juvenile offenders have been sentenced to death and are awaiting execution.  

“Iran’s determination to execute juvenile offenders in such large numbers is cruel, barbaric, and earns it a medal of shame,” said Hadi Ghaemi, coordinator of the International Campaign for Human Rights. “It is time to abolish the death penalty for children in Iran.”  

The report also notes the skyrocketing number of total executions under Ahmadinejad. In July 2008, 29 men were hanged on a single day, but the authorities announced the names of only 10 of them. The number of executions has nearly quadrupled under Ahmadinejad’s presidency, rising from 86 cases in 2005 to 317 cases in 2007 – almost a 300-percent increase.  

Prosecution of dissidents for their peaceful beliefs and opinions has also intensified in recent years. Human rights defenders are routinely harassed and imprisoned for reporting and documenting rights violations.  

“Iran should release all political prisoners and end its suppression of dissent,” said Akbar Ganji, an Iranian journalist and former political prisoner.  

Iranian authorities have systematically thwarted peaceful and legal civil society efforts to advocate for women’s rights. Women’s rights advocates have been beaten, harassed, persecuted, and prosecuted.  

“Despite harsh government repression, Iranian women are increasingly demanding their rights,” said Mehrangiz Kar, a prominent Iranian lawyer and women’s rights scholar.  

Ahmadinejad’s Intelligence Ministry has targeted Iranians who have active professional ties abroad, accusing them of being agents of Western efforts to instigate a “velvet revolution” in Iran. Three Iranians with academic ties to US institutions are currently being held and interrogated. Arash and Kamiar Alei are world-renowned AIDS physicians who have been in arbitrary detention since June 22, 2008. Mehdi Zakerian, a legal scholar who was scheduled to teach at the University of Pennsylvania this semester, was detained by security agents three weeks ago. The authorities have not provided any information about his situation.  

“Arbitrary detentions of scholars harm Iran’s cultural and educational ties with the outside world,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa division. “Ahmadinejad should end the persecution of Iranian academics and intellectuals.”  

The paper concludes that the human cost of Ahmadinejad’s policies is registering a heavy toll on Iran’s most vital nongovernmental sectors. It is imperative for the international community to take up the opportunity of Ahmadinejad’s presence at the United Nations to voice its concerns about the increasingly grave human rights violations in Iran.

Share/Save/Bookmark

more from SCE Campaign
 
default

Gov. Palin remark on Iranian Women.

by Anonymous on

Here is an excerpts of Gov. Palin remark about Iranian people women today. The only American politician who have mentioned Iranian women:

Excerpts:

Not even Iranian citizens are safe from their government's threat to those who want to live, work, and worship in peace. Politically-motivated abductions, torture, death by stoning, flogging, and amputations are just some of its state-sanctioned punishments.

It is said that the measure of a country is the treatment of its most vulnerable citizens. By that standard, the Iranian government is both oppressive and barbaric. Under Ahmadinejad's rule, Iranian women are some of the most vulnerable citizens.

If an Iranian woman shows too much hair in public, she risks being beaten or killed.

If she walks down a public street in clothing that violates the state dress code, she could be arrested.

But in the face of this harsh regime, the Iranian women have shown courage. Despite threats to their lives and their families, Iranian women have sought better treatment through the "One Million Signatures Campaign Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws." The authorities have reacted with predictable barbarism. Last year, women's rights activist Delaram Ali was sentenced to 20 lashes and 10 months in prison for committing the crime of "propaganda against the system." After international protests, the judiciary reduced her sentence to "only" 10 lashes and 36 months in prison and then temporarily suspended her sentence. She still faces the threat of imprisonment.

Link: //www.nysun.com/opinion/palin-on-ahmadinejad-...


default

SAGHEER KABEER

by maziar 58 (not verified) on

they(IRI)says y'all are SAGHEER (pir o javan)
when I say bemeer,begeer,bebband, booro
they don't give hoopla about any thing or any body
somebody brought them to power and only them can send them out.
peace


David ET

.

by David ET on

.


David ET

Can not sign a contract but can be hanged!

by David ET on

"One of the problems with the children rights is that in Iran the childhood age
for each matter is different. ... On one
hand (Iran's) law states that until the age of 18 a person is not mature enough
to leave the country but when it comes to penal laws unfortunately it
states that the child is held responsible for his actions and therefore they
issue death penalty!"
     Shirin Ebadi

Getting passport is not the only time that IR considers someone below 18 as a child, it also applies to other civil matters such as owning real estate and other properties, signing contracts, opening bank accounts...etc. In so many other matters under 18 needs a guardian in Iran.

An Iranian is not mature enough to own anything, get passport, etc....if under 18 but always mature enough to be hanged because when it comes to killing people, Islamic Regime has different sets of rules, after all they are the government of fear and death!


default

Say no to capital punishment

by no-edaam (not verified) on

Capital punishment must end, whatever it takes to end it is welcome.


ebi amirhosseini

Irandokht aziz

by ebi amirhosseini on

sepaas for the info.

best wishes


Kaveh Nouraee

Question:

by Kaveh Nouraee on

Antarinejad is the supposed "president" of the IRI, which is in repeated violation of international law.

That being said, why isn't he being arrested? The moment he lands at JFK, he should be arrested and taken to Riker's Island or elsewhere and bound over for trial.

Why must all this posturing and grandstanding continue? How many more lives must be lost to these animals before action is taken?

If you want to hold him accountable, than start by charging him with the crimes for which he is being accused and let jurisprudence take its course.


IRANdokht

Dear NG

by IRANdokht on

I didn't know that the voting age in Iran has changed. It was 18 before, and even to drive, you need to be 18 which as you said is the internationally accepted minimum age to be considered an adult. 

I am totally against death sentences anyway, so even if they make it legal in Iran and the rest of the world, I will still fight to make them change the laws. Nobody should be taking anyone's life. The idea of electing a government that is allowed to take away your life seems completely unreasonable to me.

Some of the people listed in the document are not juvenile offenders. There is even a clergy amongst them.

I believe Human Rights violations to be the best way to put the IRI government under  international pressure without causing harm to the people.

 

IRANdokht


News Goffer

Thanks

by News Goffer on

A discussion about child executions in Iran was happening yesterday on another thread.  One reader actually stated that since peple can vote and run for office (!) at age 16 in Iran, it's O.K. for them to be tried for crimes they committed under the age of 18 as well, and be sentenced to death for them.  

A person under the age of 18 is a child.  A child is a child.  That should be the end of this discussion, but it seems it is not.  I believe all the extra "privileges" the IRI has bestowed upon Iranian children to be also wrong:

IRI lets people as young as 16 years old to vote.  A child shouldn't be allowed to vote.  That's why in all other countries of the world, voting age is 18.

In Iran, children are allowed to get married under the age of 18.  That's wrong.  Some parents use this law to force their children into mariages.  The law should be there to protect children.

If children under the age of 16 are indeed allowed to run for office in Iran, that is wrong, too.  What kind of politician or administrator would a child make for a country?

Children who commit crimes under the age of 18 must not be excuted.  Plain and simple.


IRANdokht

Please Read the Document

by IRANdokht on

Iran: Rights Crisis Escalates

 

Human Rights Watch and the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran call on he Iranian government to:


• Stop all executions of juvenile offenders and abolish the death penalty for uvenile offenders;


• Release all political prisoners and persons jailed solely for exercising eacefully their right to freedom of expression, association, and assembly;


• Honor Iran’s standing invitations to the UN Special Rapporteurs and allow nternational human rights organizations to visit Iran to conduct research and advocacy.

Please open the link by clicking HERE  and see the list of some of the current victims of human rights abuses.

We need to emphasize on the Human Rights violations of IRI.

IRANdokht