In Iran girls come of age when they are 9 years old while boys come of age when they are 15 years old and then they can be sentenced death penalty. Execution of minors, which are persons that are convicted for a crime they have allegedly committed while they where under 18 years, is forbidden according to international law.
Statistics from Amnesty International show that Iran is the country in the world that have executed the highest number of minors since 1990. Since 2000 Iran have executed more minors than all other countries combined. In 2008 execution of minors have yet only bean registered in Iran, where 6 such persons have bean executed. [1]
Amnesty International points out that serious failings in the Iranian justice system commonly result in unfair trials, including in cases where child offenders and other defendants face the death penalty. These failings include: lack of access to legal counsel and to a lawyer of one’s choice; ill-treatment in pre-trial detention; allowing confessions extracted under duress to be used in proceedings; the use of detention centres outside the official prison system; denial of the right to call defence witnesses; failing to give adequate time to the defence to present its case; and imprisoning defence lawyers if they protest against unfair proceedings.[1]
On Tuesday the 26th August 2008 Bahnam Zare was hanged for a crime he committed when he was 15 years old. He was the second minor that was hanged in a week.[2]
Following is his last appeal to the world to save his life.[3]
Behnam Zare (Shiraz)
[3]
“My name is Behnam Zare, and I have been incarcerated at the Adel Abad prison in the city of Shiraz for the past three years. I committed murder at the age of 15, and I now regret what I did. I ask all of you, advocates of human rights and free individuals, to save my life. What happened was an accident. I’m pleading that you save my life. I want to live and be free. Right now, I’m spending the last days of my life. I may be taken to the gallows any minute now. Will God approve of the death of a 15 year old? I ask all those who hear my voice, is there anyone who can help me? I want you to communicate my message to the authorities. I call on you to save my life because I want to live.” [4]
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[1] Amnesty International - Iran: The last executioner of children - juni 2007;
www.amnesty.org: Death penalty: Executions of child offenders since 1990
[2] Iran hangs second teenage - BBC- 27. aug. 2008;
[3] Sound from News on Simay-Azadi - Iran National TV: http://www.iranntv.com/
[4] www.ncr-iran.org: Iran-Second minor executed in a week - By Mostafa Naderi - 28. aug. 2008;
Iran-Mullahs hanged another minor - NCRI - 26. aug. 2008
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[1] Amnesty International - Iran: The last executioner of children - juni 2007;
www.amnesty.org: Death penalty: Executions of child offenders since 1990
[2] Iran hangs second teenage - BBC- 27. aug. 2008;
[3] Sound from News on Simay-Azadi - Iran National TV: http://www.iranntv.com/
[4] www.ncr-iran.org: Iran-Second minor executed in a week - By Mostafa Naderi - 28. aug. 2008;
Iran-Mullahs hanged another minor - NCRI - 26. aug. 2008
