Iran: Temporary reprieve for Iranian child offender (Web Feature)
AI Index MDE 13/089/2007
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The execution of 18-year-old Sina Paymard, which was planned to take place on 17 July, has been postponed. Sina Paymard was sentenced to death in Iran for a crime committed when he was just 16 years old.
According to reports, Sina Paymard had been moved from Reja'i Shahr prison in Karaj to Tehran's Evin prison for his execution to be carried out on 17 July.
Sina Paymard's lawyer, human rights defender Nasrin Sotudeh, has reported that he was not executed, and his family have been given 10 days to reach a financial settlement with the victim's kin. If the money (blood money) is not raised, then Sina is likely to be executed.
Sina Paymard, a musician, was originally due to be executed in September last year for murder. On the gallows, Sina's last request was to play the ney (a Middle Eastern flute) just one more time.
The family of the victim were so moved by his playing that they granted him a last minute reprieve. They asked for 150 million toumans (over US$160,000) as compensation instead. Sina's family have, so far, been unable to raise the full amount.
This temporary reprieve gives activists more time to campaign for Sina Paymard's life to be saved - take action to stop the execution: http://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions_details.asp?ActionID=301 (on Amnesty International's UK Section's website).
Letter
I am urging you to make immediate representations to the central government in Iran to halt the execution of Sina Paymard. According to reports, Sina Paymard may be executed in the next few hours.
Sina Paymard was 16-years old at the time of the crime for which he has been sentenced to death. His execution would be a violation of international law, which strictly prohibits the execution of child offenders - those who were under the age of 18 at the time of the commission of the offence.
I urge the authorities in Iran to commute the death sentence of Sina Paymard, and all other child offenders under sentence of death in Iran. The Iranian government should abolish the death penalty as a sentence imposed on persons for having committed crimes before the age of 18. An immediate moratorium should be imposed on the execution of child offenders until such changes can become law.
Please send appeals to
Mr Rasoul Movahediyan - Ambassador of Iran to the UK
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
16 Prince's Gate
London SW7 1PT