Ali Mahin-Torabi is another youth who was sentenced to death for murdering another youth, Mazdak Khodadadian, during an argument in Bani Hashemi High School in February 2003. According to Ali’s testimony, he did not know Mazdak had been stabbed until he heard shouting from the crowd that had gathered around them.

A Juvenile Court in city of Karaj (near Tehran) sentenced Ali Mohin-Torabi to qisas on October 30, 2003. Branch 27 of the Supreme Court upheld the sentence on June 8, 2004. In cases of Qisas sharia law, the family of the murdered have the options of demanding execution of the accsued, demand Diyeh retribution (blood money) or pardon the accused. In this case Mazdak’s mother demanded blood money, but if the father pays the requested amount to the mother, Ali Mahin-Torabi’s will get executed.

International Committe Against Executions, had initially reported that Ali’s death sentence was approved by Iran’s head of judiciary Ayatollah Sharudi. Stop Child Executions Campaign contacted attorney Mohammad Mostafaie in Iran. Mr. Mostafaei immediately met Ali in prison and took his case. We were also informed that the case had been sent to Ayatollah Shahrudi but he did not order the final execution order (Estizan) and instead ordered that the the matter attempted to be resolved by arbitration. If the arbitration fails and Mazdak’s father does not settle , Ali’s execution will be carried out. Ali Mahin-Torabi is now in Reja’i Shahr prison in Karaj.   

As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the government of Iran has undertaken not to execute anyone for an offense committed when they were under the age of 18.  There are currently at least 80 children on death row in Iran.

Nazanin Afshin-Jam and Stop Child Executions Campaign strongly condemn the pending execution of Ali Mahin-Torabi and demands an immediate halt to carrying Ali’s execution verdict. 

We also demand the Iranian parliament and judiciary as well as the supreme leader of Islamic regime in Iran Ayatollah Khamenei and Ayatollah Shahrudi , the head of Iran’s judiciary to immediately implement the letter of the 55 Iranian attorneys and human rights advocates last week who demanded an immediate halt to all child executions and a speedy approval of the parliamentary bill to permanently prohibit execution of minors.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English or your own language:

– expressing concern that Ali Pak-Mihan is at risk of execution for a crime committed when he was under 18;

– calling on the authorities to halt the planned execution of Ali Mahin-Torabi immediately, and commute his death sentence;

– reminding the authorities that Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibit the use of the death penalty against people convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18, and that the execution of Ali Pak-Mihan would therefore be a violation of international law;

– urging the authorities to pass legislation to abolish the death penalty for offences committed by anyone under the age of 18, so as to bring Iran’s domestic law into line with its obligations under international law;

– stating that you acknowledges the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice to those suspected of criminal offences, but unconditionally opposes their death penalty.

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