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for Human Rights in Iran

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Flogging

Flogging Prior to Execution in Kerman

Iranian Students' News Agency / Translation by ABC
April 10, 2017
Newspaper article

Deputy of Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office for Central Kerman Province: Rapist Hanged in Kerman

The deputy of the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s office of central Kerman province broke news of the execution of a rapist, “V.F.”, in the city of Kerman. “A number of offenses were recorded in this individual's file, including rape, acts incompatible with chastity, aggravated robbery, and forcible entry” added the official.

According to ISNA reporting from the Kavir area, Deputy Amineh Salar further elaborated details of the case accordingly: “The named individual is 32 years of age, possesses a criminal record, and was charged with committing two counts of rape, three counts of acts incompatible with chastity, two counts of aggravated robbery, and seven counts of forcible entry into citizens’ homes.”

Amineh continued: “After the arrest of the suspect, a rapid and exceptional investigation of the case was taken up by the Kerman judicial system in light of security and the sensitivity of the issue and in line with protecting the rights of those affected by the crime and soothing their pain.” The deputy of the Central Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s office of central Kerman noted that all the convicted man’s crimes had taken place in the Kerman county jurisdiction. He explained that following Kerman Province Criminal Court One’s handing down the verdict of flogging, incarceration, and execution and its confirmation by the Supreme Court, the condemned was hanged this morning in Kerman Central Prison. The judiciary authority stressed that “The judicial system’s approach in dealing with violent crime and disruptions to citizens’ peace and security is to hasten investigation of these sorts of cases and to fully carry out laws and criminal punishments, with zero tolerance [for offenders.]”

ABF Note

 

Findings of guilt in the Islamic Republic of Iran's Judicial Proceedings

The Islamic Republic of Iran's criminal justice system regularly falls short of the standards for due process necessary for impartiality, fairness, and efficacy. Suspects are often held incommunicado and not told of the reason for their detainment. Defendants are frequently prohibited from examining the evidence used against them. Defendants are sometimes prohibited from having their lawyers present in court. Additionally, confessions, made under duress or torture, are commonly admitted as proof of guilt. Because Iran's courts regularly disregard principles essential to the proper administration of justice, findings of guilt may not be evaluated with certainty.

Corporal Punishment: the Legal context in the Islamic Republic of Iran

The Islamic Republic's criminal code recognizes corporal punishment for a wide range of offenses: consumption of alcohol, theft, adultery, "flouting" of public morals, and mixing of the sexes in public. Judges have the latitude to mete out corporal punishment for those sentenced to death. In such cases, the flogging is carried out before death to maximize the suffering of defendant. Aside from flogging, the Islamic Republic also employs amputations as a punishment for theft. In such cases, the defendant is taken to a hospital and put under anesthesia as his hand or foot is amputated. In some cases the left foot and right hand are cut off, making it difficult for the condemned to walk, even with the assistance of a cane or crutches.

The Islamic Republic's Systematic Violation of its International Obligations under International Law

The use of corporal punishment is contrary to international law and is addressed in several international agreements. Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which Iran has ratified, states that, "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment." Identical language is also used in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Iran is also a party to. The strongest expression of international disapproval is contained in the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT). This treaty defines torture as, "any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as ... punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed." Although the Islamic Republic of Iran has yet to sign the CAT, the prohibition on torture is now considered jus cogens and, therefore, part of customary international law. Furthermore, even though the norm against corporal punishment is not yet a jus cogens, there is increasing evidence that it is illegal under international human rights law.[1] In Osbourne v. Jamaica, the Committee Against Torture (a body of experts responsible for monitoring compliance with the Convention) held that "corporal punishment constitutes cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment contrary to Article 7 of the Convention." The Islamic Republic of Iran's systematic violations of its obligations under international law have been addressed by the UN General Assembly multiple times, most recently in December 2007. In Resolution 62/168, the UN expressed deep concern with Iran's continued flouting of international human rights law, particularly, "confirmed instances of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including flogging and amputations."