Iran: Imminent execution: Mosleh Zamani (m)
AI Index: MDE 13/088/2007
UA 185/07 Imminent execution
IRAN Mosleh Zamani (m), aged approximately 20
Mosleh Zamani, who was sentenced to death in 2006, is now is facing imminent execution. His sentence was upheld by Iran's Supreme Court in early July. His sentence, which was delivered on 17 July to judicial authorities charged with carrying out verdicts, could be carried out at any time. He is held in Sanandaj.
He was reportedly found guilty of abducting a woman some 10 years older than him, with whom he was allegedly having a relationship, and forcing her to have sex with him.
There are conflicting reports as to whether Mosleh Zamani was aged 17 or 18 at the time the alleged abduction took place. Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Both of these prohibit the use of the death penalty against child offenders: people under 18 at the time of the offence of which they have been convicted.
A member of his family has suggested to Amnesty International that Mosleh Zamani had inadequate legal representation during his trial and appeals.
Mosleh Zamani’s family reportedly staged a demonstration outside the judiciary’s office in Sanandaj on 17 July, to protest that as the verdict had been delivered to the officials charged with carrying it out, his execution could be imminent.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Kurdish, English, French, or your own language:
- stating that Amnesty International acknowledges the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offences, but opposes the death penalty unconditionally as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and violation of the right to life;.
- calling on the authorities to commute Mosleh Zamani's death sentence immediately;
- asking how old Mosleh Zamani was at the time of the offence, since the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Iran is a state party, prohibit the use of the death penalty against anyone under the age of 18 at the time of offence, and it would therefore be a violation of international law to execute Mosleh Zamani, if he was under 18 at the time of the offence.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme Leader
Shoahada Street, Qom, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: [email protected]
Fax: +98 251 774 2228 (mark "FAO Office of His Excellency Ayatollah al Udhma Khamenei")
Salutation: Your Excellency
Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Park-e Shahr, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: +981 6 674 790 (Foreign Ministry. Mark "Forward to H.E. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad")
Email: [email protected], via website: www.president.ir/email
Salutation: Your Excellency
Governor of Kurdistan
Esmail Najjar
Email: In Persian or Kurdish, use feedback form on Persian part of website: http://www.ostan-kd.ir/Default.aspx?tabId=150&cv=4@0_1
In other languages, use the feedback form on English part of website:
http://en.ostan-kd.ir/Default.aspx?TabID=59
Salutation: Dear Governor
COPIES TO: diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 31 August 2007.