Child offender faces execution in next 72 hours, please help!

[barracad]

Hi there

I’ve just heard that a young man in Iran aged only 15 at the time of his offence will be executed in the next 72 hours unless urgent action is taken.

Behnam Zare’ has been convicted of a murder committed when he was 15 years old. He’s now 18 and is being held in Adelabad prison, in the south-western city of Shiraz. The order to carry out his execution has now been sent to the prison.

The murder reportedly took place on 21 April 2005, when Behnam Zare’ swung a knife during an argument with a man named Mehrdad, wounding him in the neck. Mehrdad later died in hospital. Behnam Zare’ was detained on 13 November 2005; Fars Criminal Court sentenced him to qesas (retribution) on charges of premeditated murder.

I urge you to take action to help save Behnam by contacting the following people. Copy and paste the templates below, or even better if you can put it into your own words:


To the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran info@leader.ir

Dear His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei

I am deeply concerned that Behnam Zare' is in imminent danger of execution for a crime committed when he was under 18. Please take action without delay to stop the execution taking place and ensure that his death sentence is commuted.

Please respect your obligations under international law - specifically the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child - by taking steps to abolishing the death penalty for child offenders.

Sincerely,
XXXX

To the Head of the Judiciary info@dadgostary-tehran.ir

Dear Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi

I am deeply concerned that Behnam Zare' is in imminent danger of execution for a crime committed when he was under 18. Please take action without delay to stop the execution taking place and ensure that his death sentence is commuted.

Please respect your obligations under international law - specifically the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child - by taking steps to abolishing the death penalty for child offenders.

Sincerely,
XXXX

Behnam Zare’ is one of at least 71 child offenders currently on death row in Iran. The country continues to execute child offenders – people under the age of 18 at the time of their offence – despite the practice being strictly prohibited under international law. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has twice urged Iran to stop executions of child offenders, yet since 1990 Iran has executed at least 24 such offenders. You can find out more about the issue at the excellent campaigning website Stop Child Executions In Iran and find out more from Amnesty at AIUK : Death Penalty

This is a genuinely urgent case where your actions can make a real difference. Hope you can help.

[Rayne]

Please don't think I'm being disrespectful here, but "when in Rome..." springs to mind after having a quick skim through. Although I agree that this is a sad case, are we any better wishing to impose our views, our ideals on another culture?

[renegotiation]

Democracy is grey as i'm sure we all know. Iran is one of the less democratic countries. It's those in power in Iran who are imposing their views on their people. They are unelected. I'm not keen on stonings or women being dragged off the street for having their hair out to name just a couple of issues. That's nothing to do with my 'Englishness' really, but my personal values. I do take your point though Rayne and fully agree that it can be a bit of a moral minefield when preaching to other countries. I did send some emails.

[StormWarrior]

This was more than a week ago, did they do it ?

[RK08]

Found this on a web site which gives a bit more dated 11th Feb

Faced with the worldwide condemnation of imminent execution of Behnam Zare, Iran's head of judiciary Ayatollah Shahrudi ordered Behnam's file to be sent back for negotiation with the family of the alleged victim.
This is the second time that Shahrudi is sending the case for mediation. Iran's Islamic sharia law leaves the final decisions of life or death of those condemned to death to the family of the victims (Ghisas).
The file was sent to division of enforcements for execution after Shahrudi's final permit to execute, however faced with the international outrage Ayatollah Shahrudi retracted his initial execution permit and ordered another mediation.
Nazanin Afshin-Jam and Stop Child Executions wish to thank Behnam's attorney Mohammad Mostafaei, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for their immediate response and their efforts through the Geneva office, Amnesty International and its members, president of European Union, authorities in India, international news agencies, international committee against executions, internet websites and bloggers, SCE volunteers and supporers and 100's of human rights advocates inside and outside Iran for the letters sent to Ayatollah Shahrudi and Iranian authorities. Together we will abolish the inhumane and illegal practice of child executions in Iran and worldwide once and forever.