Weekly Rights Podcast 37

In this week’s Weekly Rights Podcast: The Campaign speaks out about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to the UN General Assembly in New York; American hikers Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal are released from prison; seven documentary filmmakers are arrested and charged with espionage on behalf of BBC Persian; 17-year-old Alireza Molla-Soltani is executed; and Nasrin Sotoudeh’s most recent court session is cancelled.

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“Stop Executions,” Four UN Human Rights Experts Tell Iran

On 22 September 2011 four United Nations Special Rapporteurs for executions, torture, human rights in Iran, and independence of the judiciary, issued a joint statement condemning Iran’s recent execution of a juvenile and called for the country to immediately institute a moratorium on the death penalty. (Full Statement Below) Yesterday, 21 September, Iranian authorities hanged [...]

Iranian Rights Defender Receives Martin Ennals Award

(21 May 2009) – The decision to present the prestigious Martin Ennals Award this year to Emad Baghi for his work on prisoners’ rights and efforts to end the death penalty will help focus international attention on the perilous human rights situation in Iran, Human Rights Watch and the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

“The award to Emad Baghi for his courageous efforts helps to keep the eyes of the world on the difficult human rights situation in Iran,” said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Baghi has also been a leading advocate against capital punishment in the face of rising numbers of executions in Iran.”

Delara Darabi, Juvenile Offender, Executed in Rasht

(1 May 2009) Delara Darabi, who was charged at the age of 17 with murder, was executed today in Rasht. Darabi was 22 years old. Authorities did not inform her lawyer, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, that her execution was being carried out. According to Iranian law, lawyers must be given 48 hours notice of impending executions.

“The execution of Delara Darabi is an affront to human rights values and is in bold violation of Iran’s obligations with respect to international rights standards and covenants,” said Aaron Rhodes, a spokesperson for the Campaign. “What is more, her rights were trampled in an unfair trial.”

National Call to Action by The Defenders of Human Rights Center

The Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC) has issued a national call to action titled: “Stop Child Executions” demanding the end to child and juvenile executions. This national call to action is the third of such nationally focused efforts spearheaded by the Defenders of Human Rights Center and follows the convening of the “Committee to Defend Free, Healthy and Fair Elections” in August 2007 and the “National Council on Peace” in November of 2007 by this human rights NGO.

Death Sentences for Juvenile Offenders Continue

(17 April 2009) Twenty-two year old Delara Darabi is at imminent risk of execution for a crime she allegedly committed at age seventeen, the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran said today.

Her lawyer, Abdolsamad Khorramshahi, had previously not been informed of the date Darabi’s execution would be carried out. Two days ago he was told the sentence will be carried out soon. The Campaign urges the Iranian authorities to stay her execution and review her case.

“Executing juveniles is internationally outlawed, yet Iran continues to be the only country to carry out death sentences for juvenile offenders,” said Hadi Ghaemi, Campaign spokesperson.

United Nations General Assembly “Deeply Concerned” about Human Rights Conditions

(18 December 2008) By a vote of 69 to 54 the United Nations General Assembly has repudiated and expressed “deep concern” for Iran’s human rights record. The Resolution cited inter alia documented cases of torture; the high incidence of executions and juvenile executions without proper legal safeguards; the persecution of women seeking their human rights; discrimination against minorities and attacks on minority groups like the Baha’is in state media; and the violation of a wide range of political rights.

Emad Baghi’s Letter to the Judiciary

Letter by Emad Baghi to Head of the Judiciary, Ayatollah Shahroudi, about the jurisprudential process of capital punishment.

End Executions of Juvenile Offenders

(Geneva, 30 July, 2008) The Iranian judiciary should immediately halt all executions of juvenile offenders and Iran’s parliament should move swiftly to ban such executions, a group of human rights organizations said today.

The groups, which include Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, joined by six other international and regional human rights organizations – named below – strongly condemned Iran’s continuing execution of juvenile offenders in a joint statement.

Juvenile Offender faces Imminent Execution despite Retraction of Sentence

(21 July 2008) The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran is calling on the Iranian Judiciary to halt the imminent execution of Abu Moslem Sohrabi for a crime he allegedly committed at the age of 17. Local officials are reportedly proceeding with plans to execute Sohrabi despite an order from the Judiciary to re-investigate the case, in which Sohrabi claimed he acted in self defense after being raped.

“This case epitomizes the vulnerability of the Iranian people and particularly juveniles in a system without due process and the Rule of Law, and which ignores the world regarding juvenile executions. Iran’s Judiciary must halt this execution now,” the Campaign stated.