Prisoner executed for murder committed at age 14

Iran Human Rights, September 23: According to local media in Iran, a juvenile offender was executed in Kazeroun (southern Iran) last week.

According to the local newspaper, "Kazeroun-e-ma", an 18-year-old, who was convicted of committing a murder when he was 14, was executed in Kazeroun last week. The boy was not identified by name in the report.

According to reports from Iran, another juvenile offender, Mohammad (Maher) Ayashi, is scheduled for execution in Ahwaz’s Karoun Prison (southwestern Iran) tomorrow morning. The boy, who is currently in his twenties, is convicted of murder during a street fight when he was 17 years old.

Iran has ratified the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, which bans the death penalty for offences committed under 18 years of age. However, Iran is still one of few countries executing minors.

Iran Human Rights condemns the execution of juveniles in Iran and urges the United Nations and all countries who have diplomatic ties with Iran to intervene, in order to save Mohammad Ayashi’s life. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR said: "The UN and the international community must do what they can to save Mohammad and other juveniles who are on death row in Iran. Human rights, the death penalty— in particular death penalty issued to juveniles— must be on top of the list of issues world leaders discuss with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the UN this week."