Iran: End Juvenile Executions [View All]

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/HRW/3149595c5fc7f67d20f3f1c382787b81.htm

(New York, July 27, 2005) - Iran's execution of a juvenile offender last week violated international law, Human Rights Watch said today in letters to the president and head of the judiciary. Two youths, aged eighteen and nineteen, were put to death on July 19 after they were found guilty of sexually assaulting a thirteen-year-old boy some fourteen months earlier. One of the youths was seventeen at the time of the offense.

"Death is an inhumane punishment, particularly for someone under eighteen at the time of his crimes," said Hadi Ghaemi, Iran researcher for Human Rights Watch. "All but a handful of countries forbid such executions. Iran should as well."

Before the two youths were put to death, each also received 228 lashes for theft, disturbing public order, and consuming alcohol. snip

Elsewhere in the world, only China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, and the United States are known to have put juvenile offenders to death in the past five years. The United States executed nine juvenile offenders during this period; the other countries are each known to have put one juvenile offender to death. The U.S. Supreme Court declared the juvenile death penalty unconstitutional in March 2005.