Soghra Najafpour, the Iranian girl who was released from prison on bail after 18 years of being on the execution row , is facing imminent execution one more time. After constant efforts by Soghar’s attorney Mrs. Nasrin Sotoudeh and her ability to negotiate placing the deed a house as the security of the bail , Soghra was released only 3 weeks ago.Soghra was arrested at the age of 12 and later sentenced to death by an Islamic judge in Iran for alleged murder of the son of a influential doctor in the northern city of Rasht.
The new Judge who recently authorized the release of Soghra stated in an interview with Iran’s Etemaad newspaper that there are other factors in Soghra’s file such as her age at the time of incident as well as “other matters” that were partially reflected in the 18 year old file. Judge Teymouri confirmed that the parents of the alleged victim have re-filed a demand for execution of Soghra again (ghisas) after they found out about Soghra’s release on bail. Judge Teymouri added that since the execution order was ordered 17 years ago, the statue of limitation to file and appeal has passed. Iran’s sharia law leaves the option to exercise the execution to the family of the victims.
Soghra was once taken to be executed at the age of 17 but the parents changed their mind the last minute , however after finding out about her release, they have re-filed for her execution order again, 13 years later.
According to Teymouri at this point the only person who can reverse the execution order of Soghra is Iran’s head of judiciary Ayatollah Shahrudi. Teymouri added that although there are attempts to obtain the parents pardon however if they officially finalize the execution order, Soghra can be executed at any given moment.
Soghra has spend all her youth in prison and in anticipation of execution and she has denied involvement in the death of the child during the past 18 years.
Although Soghra does not have the right to appeal, however Iran’s law does allow the parents to choose execution of Soghra at anytime and therefore they can keep sending Soghra for execution (or release ) as they wish, without any statue of limitation to their demand or number of times they put Soghra through their life and death decisions.
Stop Child Execution Campaign has recently found out that although recently the father had accepted a pardon, the mother has insisted that Soghra should be executed. When asked why, her reason has been that 18 years ago Soghra accused her husband of sexual molestation while Soghra lived in the home as a maid since the age of 9.
The medical records from 18 years ago after Soghra’s testimony had verified that she was molested while living with the family but nothing was done about it due to the doctor’s influential family, versus family of Soghra who were homeless and lived in the Caspian sea forests of Iran.
Meanwhile the wife of the doctor has been insisting on Soghra’s execution because “Soghra jeopardized their family good name” !
The sharia law of Iran leaves the life and death decision of an accused in the hands of the alleged victim’s family who are emotionally involved in the case not to mention their other potential motives for their decisions.
Stop Child Execution is extremely concerned about potential imminent execution of Soghra and ask the head of Iran’s judiciary, Ayatollah Shahrudi to reverse the execution order and the so called ghisas right of the alleged victim’s parents in lieu of proven molestation of Soghra while she stayed with them from the age of 9 to 12 and Soghra’s age at the time of the alleged crime not to mention that they have already sent Soghra to be executed once.
Stop Child Execution condemns the renewal of the execution order of Soghra Najafpour and demand the government of Islamic republic of Iran to adhere to its obligations under the article 6.5 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and article 37(a) of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). We further request the United Nations, European Union and other world governments and organizations to demand the Iranian authorities to reverse and stop the executions order of Soghra and to give Soghra another chance to live her life in freedom after 18 years of imprisonment under the fear of death for the past 18 years.
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