Stop Child Executions

See the latest video of his father explaining that he has been given notice to visit his son for the last time as he is to be executed in Adel Abad prison in Shiraz this Tuesday July 6^th 2010  (Tehran time)

http://www.peykeiran.com/Content.aspx?ID=18779.

Normally executions are carried out early in the morning which means there is just over 24 hours to take action.

His father says that at the time of the offence (see below), Mohammad Reza was 3 months shy from his 15^th birthday. Under Iran’s penal code, boys are not considered adults until the age of 15 and therefore not criminally responsible for their actions. If the Islamic Republic of Iran carries out this execution they will be in breach of their own domestic laws as well as the international treaties which they have signed. This includes being in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Charter on the Rights of the Child.

His father has told news reporters that Mohammad Reza’s sister had set herself on fire from the anguish of knowing that her brother could be executed. She is crippled for life and she is in hospital. Their mother has been seriously ill for quite some time. It is a real tragedy for the entire family.  

After reading the background of the case, please scroll down and read what you can do to help.

BACKGROUND:

Stop Child Executions has been following the case of Mohammad Reza Haddadi for a couple of years and through stages of stays of execution.

Eighteen year old Mohamadreza Haddadi was sentenced to death by hanging for an alleged murder at the age of 15. He is held in Adelabad prison in the city of Shiraz. He was sentenced to death in January 2004 by a court in Kazeroun for the murder of a man in 2003. He had confessed to the murder, but retracted the confession during his trial, saying he had claimed responsibility for the killing because his two co-defendants had offered his family money if he did so. Mohammad Reza Haddadi stated during the trial that he had not taken part in murder of a man who had offered him and the two others a lift in his car. The two others later supported Mohammad Reza Haddadi’s claims of innocence, and withdrew their testimony that implicated him in the murder. His co-defendants, both over 18 at the time of the crime, are said to have received lesser sentences. However, in July 2005, a branch of the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence against Mohammad Reza Haddadi and later authorized by then Head of Iran’s Judiciary, Ayatollah Shahroudi. He was first scheduled for execution in October 2008, but it was stayed on the order of the Head of the Judiciary. His execution was then scheduled on 27 May 2009 and 16 July 2009.

Mr. Mohammad Mostafaei, child rights lawyer to Ali Mahin-Torabi has just released the great news that he has been exonerated of "intentional murder" to a lesser sentence.  With the payment of blood money to the family of the victim, it is expected that he will be released soon. We will provide more updtes as they are made available.

بالاخره حکم علی مهین ترابی صادر شد. این کوکل جوانم از قتل عمل تبرئه و به اتهام قتل شبیه عمد به پرداخت دیه محکوم شد.

علي مهين ترابي كه در سن شانزده سالگي به اتهام قتل عمد مرحوم مزدك دستگير و در حال حاضر هشت سال است كه در زندان به سر مي برد. وفق گزارش مورخ 14/11/1381 كلانتري 15 رجائي شهر كرج يك فقره درگيري و منازعه درخيابان نهم شرقي جلوي هنرستان هاشمي اتفاق افتاده و علي مهين ترابي 16 ساله به اتهام ايراد ضربة چاقو به مزدك خداداديان دستگير مي شود كه نامبرده به علت خونريزي شديد در بيمارستان به رحمت ايزدي مي پيوندد . علی پس از دستگیری ضمن اعتراف به استفاده از چاقو در تمام مراحل دادرسي از جمله در تحقيقات مقدماتي و در محضر قضات رسيدگي كننده به پرونده اعلام مي كند كه من چاقو را از جيب درآورده و باز كردم و حتي عقب هم رفتم كه مقتول به سمت من نيايد كه به علت ازدحام جمعيت ، نامبرده را هل دادند نفهميدم كه وي چگونه چاقو خورده كه به صداي داد و فرياد بچه ها كه مزدك چاقو خورده متوجه شدم كه نامبرده از بدنش خون مي ريزد و همچنين مي گويد كه به هيچ وجه قصد استفاده از چاقو و قتل را نداشته

An outrage even by Afghan standards

Source: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/06/23/1319649/an-outrage-even-by-afghan-standards.html#ixzz0rhN82Lav

By MOHAMMAD ILYAS DAYEE - The Institute for War & Peace Reporting

KABUL, Afghanistan -- The Taliban's execution of an 8-year-old accused of "collaborating" with foreign forces has proved too much even for Afghans hardened by three decades of fighting.

"Islam does not permit anyone to sentence a minor to execution," said Mawlawi Mehr Del, deputy head of the Muslim clerical council in Helmand. "It is against Islam, against sharia law. God may be extremely upset with them. Those who do something like this are neither jihadis nor Taliban, they are enemies of human life."

Islamic law prohibits the execution of anyone under 18. The Taliban's own code of conduct, drawn up by the movement two years ago, stipulates that no commander may order the execution of minors, and anyone disobeying this rule will face retribution.