View this profile on Instagram

Impact Iran (@impactiran) • Instagram photos and videos

17/04/2013 Press Releases (Shaheed)

UN experts condemn public execution of juvenile and reiterate call for immediate halt on death penalty

GENEVA – Four United Nations experts* condemned the public execution by hanging of 17-year-old Alireza Molla Soltani, which was carried out yesterday, and the ongoing practice by the Iranian authorities, of executing people charged with drug-related offences.

“We are outraged at the execution practice in Iran despite the international community’s and our repeated calls for a moratorium,” said the experts recalling that three juveniles have been executed in public so far this year in the country, according to reliable information.

The UN Special Rapporteurs on Iran, on summary executions, on independence of the judiciary and on torture stressed that “any judgment imposing the death penalty upon juveniles below the age of 18, and their execution, are incompatible with Iran’s international obligations.”

“There is an absolute ban on the death sentence against persons below the age of 18 at the time of commission of the offence under international human rights law”, they said referring to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Islamic Republic of Iran is a party.

In 2011 alone, over 200 people have been executed in Iran, the majority of whom were charged with drug-related offences. It is widely accepted that the death penalty is an extreme punishment, and exception to the right to life, and that it may only be imposed for the most serious crimes. “We, however, regret that execution is common practice for people charged with drug-related offences, which do not amount to the most serious crimes.”

In most cases brought to the Special Rapporteurs’ attention, there have been concerns regarding fair trial safeguards and access to a lawyer and families.
“We reiterate this clear message to the Government of Iran,” said the human rights experts, “to immediately implement a moratorium on the death penalty particularly in drug-related and juvenile cases.”

(*) Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Christof Heyns; Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ahmed Shaheed; Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Gabriela Knaul; Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Juan Méndez.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

(all times in EST)

07 12 23
  • International Civil Aviation Day

    07 12 23

09 12 23
  • International Anti-Corruption Day

    09 12 23

  • International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime

    09 12 23

10 12 23
  • Human Rights Day

    10 12 23

  • Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony

    10 12 23
    Oslo City Hall Rådhusplassen 1, 0037 Oslo, Norway

11 12 23
  • International Mountain Day

    11 12 23

12 12 23
  • International Day of Neutrality

    12 12 23

13 12 23
  • Sakharov Prize 2023

    13 12 23
    Paul-Henri Spaak Building Rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60 B-1047 Brussels Belgium

18 12 23
  • Arabic Language Day

    18 12 23

  • International Migrants Day

    18 12 23

20 12 23
  • International Human Solidarity Day

    20 12 23

27 01 24
  • International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

    27 01 24

04 02 24
  • World Cancer Day

    04 02 24

06 02 24
  • International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation

    06 02 24

11 02 24
  • International Day of Women and Girls in Science

    11 02 24

13 02 24
  • World Radio Day

    13 02 24

20 02 24
  • World Day of Social Justice

    20 02 24

21 02 24
  • International Mother Language Day

    21 02 24

01 03 24
  • Zero Discrimination Day

    01 03 24

03 03 24
  • World Wildlife Day

    03 03 24

08 03 24
  • International Women's Day

    08 03 24

20 03 24
  • French Language Day

    20 03 24

  • International Day of Happiness

    20 03 24

21 03 24
  • International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

    21 03 24

  • International Day of Forests

    21 03 24

  • International Day of Nowruz

    21 03 24

  • World Down Syndrome Day

    21 03 24

  • World Poetry Day

    21 03 24

22 03 24
  • World Water Day

    22 03 24

23 03 24
  • World Meteorological Day

    23 03 24

24 03 24
  • International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims

    24 03 24

  • World Tuberculosis Day

    24 03 24

25 03 24
  • International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

    25 03 24

  • International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members

    25 03 24

02 04 24
  • World Autism Awareness Day

    02 04 24

04 04 24
  • International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action

    04 04 24

06 04 24
  • International Day of Sport for Development and Peace

    06 04 24