HELSINKI – Finland summoned Iran’s ambassador in Helsinki Tuesday to express concern over Tehran’s execution of a juvenile offender and its plans to execute three others, the foreign ministry said. Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb summoned ambassador Reza Nazarahari to appeal to Iran “not to implement the executions planned” of three people sentenced to death for crimes committed when they were minors, the ministry said in a statement.
In the meeting with Nazarahari, “Minister Stubb stated that Finland strongly deplores executions of minors,” the ministry said, pointing out that Iran executed a man earlier this month for crimes committed before he was 18.
“Sentencing minors to death is unambiguously forbidden by the Convention on the Rights of the Child and by the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights, both of which have been ratified by Iran,” the ministry statement said.
The European Union and international human rights groups have also urged Tehran to stop issuing the death penalty for crimes committed by minors.