SCE: JUly 26, 2008
REVISED: JUly 28, 2008

Saeed Jazee will no longer be executed, according to an email sent by his attorney, Mohammad Mostafaei to Stop Child Executions. Mr. Mostafaei stated that on Thursday in a memorial ceremony named Khoon Bas (Enough Blood), the parents of the victim Morteza Jaan-Zamin officially pardoned Saeed. (revision added July 28, 2009: In return they have received Dieh “Blood Money” however the amount of retribution has not been disclosed.)

Mostafaei told ISNA news agency today that Saeed was given one month extension before his scheduled execution last month which during this period with help of different counselors, newspaper editors and others he was able to obtain a pardon from the victim’s family.

According to the Iran ‘s Islamic Sharia Ghisas law, only the family of the victims can overrule Islamic judiciary’s punishment orders including death penalty. The government of  Iran has been in direct violation of the international conventions which forbid executions of those alleged of crimes before the age of 18 and instead after issuing the death penalty has shifted the responsibility to the parents of the victims to overturn the judiciary’s order. 

Saeed Jazee who was 17 at the time of alleged crime is anticipated to be freed soon. Jazee is the second juvenile offender who is saved from death by hanging this week. Execution order of another juvenile offender , Ali Mahin-Torabi was also commuted earlier this week and his file was sent for review. Ali is anticipated to also be freed soon as he has already spent 7 years in prison.  

After being faced with much pressure from within Iran and internationally, Iran ‘s head of judiciary Ayatollah Sharudi postponed Saeed’s execution last month which lead to obtaining an unconditional pardon by the victim’s family.

Nazanin Afshin-Jam and Stop Child Execution wish to thank Attorney Mohammad Mostafaei, SCE’s dedicated team of volunteers and supporters, Amnesty International, European Union and so many human right organization, activists and supporters in Iran and around the world for helping give both Saeed Jazee and Ali Mahin-Torabi another chance at life. SCE also expresses much gratitude to Morteza’s family who decided to put an end to the bloodshed.

To help save more than 132 other children facing execution in Iran please join more than 17000 people worldwide to sign the petition at www.stopchildexecutions.com.

For background information on Saeed Jazee’s case visit: http://scenews.blog.com/Saeed%20Jazee/