www.stopchildexecutions.com

Following the urgent action reports by Stop Child Executions, Amnesty International and international committee against executions, the European Union and its candidate countries (42 states) issued a condemnation of Iran's ruling regime for its new surge of juvenile execution orders. Stop Child Executions Campaign thank the president of European Union and its members and candidates for this responsible and humanitarian action and encourage United Nations and all countries of the world to also condemn violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child by the Islamic regime in Iran.

Januray 25, 2008

Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the EU concerning death sentences in Iran.
The EU is deeply concerned by the news of the imminent execution of Ali Mahin Torabi, Saeed Jazee, Amir Amrolahi, Rahim Ahmadi, Mohammadreza Haddadi, Behnood and Ali (identified only by his name), who were convicted and sentenced to death for crimes committed when they were minors.

The EU notes that these executions are a direct contravention of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s international commitments, specifically the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, both clearly prohibiting the execution of minors or people who have been convicted of crimes committed when they were minors.

The EU urges the Islamic Republic of Iran to comply with International Law and to halt the executions of Mr. Torabi, Mr Jazee, Mr Amrolahi, Mr Ahmadi, Mr Haddadi, Mr Behnood, Mr Ali and of all other juvenile offenders, taking in consideration alternative sentences for juvenile offenders and respect for international norms and standards that provide safeguards guaranteeing the protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty.
The EU is also deeply concerned by methods of execution used in Iran which fall below international standards for use of the death penalty and violate Iran's international human rights commitments (such as stoning). In this regard the EU is concerned that two men, Tayyeb Karimi and Yazdan, have been sentenced to death in Shiraz and face imminent execution by being 'thrown from a height' or ‘a cliff’. The EU calls on Iran to halt these executions and make a commitment not to apply such sentences in the future.

The EU condemns the increasing recourse to death sentences and executions in the Islamic Republic of Iran. At the same time the EU reiterates its longstanding opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances and recalls that any miscarriage or failure of justice in the application of capital punishment represents the irreparable and irreversible loss of human life. The EU is in favor of the universal abolition of the death penalty and urges the Islamic Republic of Iran to abolish the death penalty, if necessary by initially establishing a moratorium on executions, in line with the resolution endorsed on 18 December 2007 by the United Nations General Assembly, on a moratorium on the use of the death penalty.

The Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia align themselves with this declaration. * Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

European Union States:
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
The Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
United Kingdom

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