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Energy firms OMV and Total Should Help Convince Iran to End Juvenile Executions
(3 October 2008) The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran is appealing to two European corporations assisting Iran with its international marketing to help convince Iran to end executions of juvenile offenders. Iran leads the world in such executions, putting to death six already this year, while around 130 juvenile offenders await execution.
Austrian oil firm OMV and French firm Total are both providing support as sponsors of a “Gas Export Conference” in Tehran on 4-5 October 2008. OMV has reportedly contributed 15,000 EUROs as a “silver sponsor,” while Total has provided an undisclosed amount as a “platinum sponsor” for the National Iranian Gas Export Company (NIGEC) event.
“These European companies are being held up by Iran as trophies—proof that Iran’s human rights violations are no obstacle to doing business with Europe,” stated Aaron Rhodes, a spokesman for the Campaign. “Iran has shut all doors to the international community on human rights dialogue. It is time these corporations honor their own social responsibility commitments in asking Iran to abolish the death penalty for children,” he added.
OMV’s “corporate social responsibility” pledges include a resolve “to use every suitable opportunity to encourage the observation of human rights even outside the area of our direct responsibility.”
According to the website of Total, “Upholding human rights is fundamental to our commitment to ethics principles and practices. We strive to promote proactive initiatives and heightened awareness in sometimes-sensitive business environments.”
“OMV and Total should do something for the Iranian people, and take action in accord with their human rights commitments: tell the leaders in Iran that juvenile executions cannot be condoned and pose an obstacle to business as usual,” Rhodes said.
Iran leads the world in executing persons for crimes committed under the age of 18. As a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Iran is obligated to abolish such executions. A coalition of 24 major international and regional human rights organizations called on Iran to halt juvenile executions on 8 July 2008. UN human rights officers have repeatedly urged Iran to comply by its international treaty commitments.
