|
UN'S TOP RIGHTS CHIEF SPEAKS OUT AGAINST
EXECUTION OF A MINOR IN IRAN
New York, Dec 7 2007 8:00AM
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has spoken out
against the execution of a minor in Iran, calling on the Tehran Government
to respect the international consensus against meting out capital
punishment to juvenile offenders.
Louise Arbour expressed her "grave concern" on 6 December over the
execution of Makwan Moloudzadeh the previous day in a prison in Iran's
Kermanshah Province, according to a statement released by her office.
Makwan Moloudzadeh was convicted of the rape of three boys seven years
ago, when he was 13 years old. "It was reported that the execution was
carried out, despite his alleged victims withdrawing their accusations,
and the Head of the Judiciary issuing an order to stay the execution
pending a further judicial review of the sentence," Ms. Arbour observed.
Iran is a party to both the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child -- treaties which
place a legal obligation on States parties not to impose the death penalty
for those under the age of 18 years at the time of the commission of the
crimes.
The High Commissioner called on Iran "to respect its international legal
obligations and the strong international consensus against the execution
of minors."
|
