URGENT: Mohammad Latif execution approved

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SCE Campaign
by SCE Campaign
10-Dec-2007
 

In the rush to execute the Iranian youth on the execution row, the file of Mohammad Latif was also sent to Ayatollah Shahrudi, Iran's head of judiciary for final approval before execution.

In addition to violating international children rights conentions which prohibit execution for a crime committed before the
age of 18, Iran has been executing boys who have been less than 15
years old. Iran's own Islamic Sharia laws states that a boy is not
considered an adult until the age of 15, Mohammad Latif was sentnced to
death for an alleged murder at the age of 14. Makwan Moludzadeh was the
recent example who was executed for for an alleged homosexual act at
the age of 13.

In August of this year , azanin Afshin-Jam received an email from
Mr. Mahmoud Latif asking if she could help bring worldwide attention to
the injustice to his son Mohammad Latif who was sentenced to death at
age 14 for defending himself from an 18 year old boy named Mansour
Kayaee.

The news came as another surprise because Mohammad was not on SCE's list of children facing execution.

According to his father, Mohammad was 14 years 11 month and 23 days old when he was attacked by Mansour and accidentally killed the assailant while trying to take the knife away from him. His father is extremely worried about Mohammad who is now 17 years and 9 months, which could mean that they could execute him in three months when he turns 18 years old.
 
Mr. Latif had written to the head of Judiciary Ayatollah Shahroudi, the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the head of the Majles (Iranian Parliament) asking for help, however he has not received any replies.
 
The Supreme Court has confirmed the conviction saying that it was an intentional act. In his letters Mohammad's father has stated that even according to Islamic Sharia laws of Iran Mohammad was not at the legal age of puberty (15 for boys).
 
Through official papers, The Ministry of Health confirmed that at the time of incident,  Mohammad was not mentally considered an adult. Mr. Latif also has written confirmation from two Ayatollahs, Behjat and Makarem Shirazi, that if there was any doubt on the maturity of the convicted, they could not carry out the execution.
 
A separate examination was conducted a year after the incident which says that Mohammad was an adult because he was past the age of puberty and had hair on his body.
 
Later Nazanin Afshin-Jam spoke to Mr. Latif , where he pleaded with the international community to help save his son from execution.  He said that his son has already spent three years in prison. When Mohammad was first admitted to prison, his father described him as a healthy boy. After spending 10 months in an adult prison in Arak, he was moved to a prison in Saveh with more juvenile offenders. He now describes his son as having lost weight, weak, problems with his vision and very nervous psychologically.

Nazanin Afshin-Jam immediately contacted attorney Mr. Mostafaei to see if there was anything he or his legal team could do to help Mohammad. Mr. Mostafaei spoke with Mr. Latif and visited Mohammad in jail.

 

source: Etemad Meli newspapr- Iran

We call on all international human rights organizations
and governments to immediately contact offices of Ayatollah Khamenei
and Sharudi and demand an immediate stop to execution of Mohammad Tarif.

We also call on everyone to contact their parliament and government leaders as well as other organizations. 

Leader of the Islamic Republic
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


Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Justice Building ,

Panzdah-Khordad Square

Tehran
Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:              info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation:       Your Excellency

For more information about Mohammad Latif visit: //scenews.blog.com//Mohammad+Latif/

 

 

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