130 juvenile offenders await execution in Iran

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130 juvenile offenders await execution in Iran
by SCE Campaign
20-Nov-2008
 

Today, November 20, is Universal Children's Day, a day that should be devoted to the welfare of children everywhere. On this day in 1989, the U.N. General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

This treaty absolutely bans the death penalty for child offenders, yet a few countries, especially Iran, continue to carry out these illegal executions. Call for Iran to immediately stop executing child offenders!

Like every country on earth – except the U.S. and Somalia – Iran is a state party to the CRC. Yet Iran continues to execute child offenders, including at least 7 this year, and there are around 130 juvenile offenders awaiting execution in Iran right now.

On October 16, the government of Iran seemed to announce that it was no longer going to execute child offenders. But on October 18, Iranian officials "clarified" their position by stating that the ban on child offender executions would not apply to those sentenced to retribution for committing murder. The apparent ban on child offender executions turned out to be virtually meaningless.

In Solidarity,

Sue Gunawardena-Vaughn
Director, Death Penalty Abolition Campaign
Amnesty International USA

 

Please call on Iran to respect its treaty obligations and its responsibility to protect the rights and lives of children, and to cease the execution of juvenile offenders once and for all.

Iran is one of the only countries in the world that still executes children and child offenders. At least 15 child offenders have been executed in Iran in the last two years. On October 16, 2008, The Government of Iran announced an end to this shameful practice, but on October 18 Iran clarified that this directive would not apply to child offenders sentenced to qesas or retribution. The vast majority of the more than 130 juveniles sentenced to death in Iran still face execution.

To learn more about this issue, read Juveniles still to face the noose in Iran. Download this action in PDF or MS Word formats.

 

Take Action

 

Message Recipients:  Ayatollah Sayed Ali Khamenei

 

You may personalize your appeal based on the sample text below. Personalized messages and subject headings make more effective emails,faxes, and letters.

 

Please End Child Offender Executions

Dear (Recipient)

I am writing to you to express my deep concern about the imposition of the death penalty for child offenders in Iran. At the current time, at least 130 child offenders are reportedly facing the death penalty in Iran. Iran is the only country in the world known to have executed a child offender in 2008.

I am especially disappointed that, even though a statement issued by your government on October 16, 2008, appeared to announce a moratorium on the execution of all child offenders, a second statement issued on October 18 clarified that the moratorium would not apply to those sentenced to qesas or retribution.  I am further deeply disturbed at the execution on October 29 of Gholamreza H. who was seventeen at the time of his alleged crime. He is the seventh known juvenile offender to have been executed so far this year.

Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which states in Article 6 that, “Sentence of death shall not be imposed for crimes committed by persons below eighteen years of age.” The Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Iran is also a state party, states in Article 37 that, “Neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without the possibility of release shall be imposed for offenses committed by persons below eighteen years of age.” On September 2, 2008, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights called on Iran to end juvenile executions.

I urge you to overturn the death sentences of all child offenders in Iran and to implement a moratorium on all executions of those convicted of crimes committed before they were 18 years of age, including those who were sentenced to qesas.

Thank you very much for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely 

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more from SCE Campaign
 
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Good advice!

by Advisor (not verified) on

"The whole point of this is to provide yet another excuse to intensify economic sanctions against Iran in order to make conditions in the country more and more difficult for ordinary Iranians and ultimately to launch an invasion of the country (exactly as was done with Iraq). Iranians are either naive or dishonest to not see through this political agenda. "

In other words, Iranians outside Iran just like Iranians inside must all shut up and put up with whatever IR is doing to Iran and Iranians.


default

Using adolescent murderers to advance a political agenda

by 1973 Esfahani (not verified) on

These are not "children" who are being executed. These are adolescents who have murdered and raped (in many cases, little children) and are kept in prison until they reach adulthood. Then they are executed as adults, not as "children". It's an insult to children to call an 18, 19 or 20-year old murderer and rapist a "child". If you want to spare the lives of murderers, then let's stay right here in the U.S.--the U.S. executes them too. But let's be honest here. The whole point of this is to provide yet another excuse to intensify economic sanctions against Iran in order to make conditions in the country more and more difficult for ordinary Iranians and ultimately to launch an invasion of the country (exactly as was done with Iraq). Iranians are either naive or dishonest to not see through this political agenda.


Azarin Sadegh

I just sent mine!

by Azarin Sadegh on

Dear SCE,

Thanks for making it so easy! I just sent my email...it took me just a minute...

I truly hope many more poeple are going to spend this much time to express their concern and support for the children of Iran.

Thanks, Azarin


IRANdokht

it's a great idea

by IRANdokht on

A.I. has provided a sample letter and a direct way to submit these emails. That's a great idea!

I hope all the people who care for Iran and Human Rights find a few minutes to spare and even if they don't have time to modify it, just sign the letter and click on send.

IRANdokht