Families of Drug Convicts Gather before Majles in Support of Drug Reform Measure
Several families of prisoners sentenced to death for drug-related crimes, along with a number of individuals demanding the implementation of the Majless’ (Parliament’s) recent legislation regarding the use of substitute punishments for drug criminals condemned to death, gathered in front of the Parliament.
According to a report from the ILNA's parliamentary correspondent, several families of prisoners sentenced to death for drug-related crimes, and individuals demanding the implementation of Majless’ recent legislation regarding the use of substitute punishments for drug criminals condemned to death approved by the Islamic Consultative Assembly’s (Majless/Parliament) Judicial and Legal Commission, gathered in front of the Islamic Consultative Assembly building this morning.
These people had come to the "Baharestan” (the square and building housing the Parliament) from all across the country, including the provinces of Tehran, Chahar Mahal-o-Bakhtiari, West Azarbaijan, Khuzestan, Esfahan, as well as towns such as Meshkin Shahr, Dashte Alborz, and Qeshm. They were carrying signs bearing slogans such as “Execution equals the disintegration of the family [unit],” and “Islamic Republic equals Islamic kindness, so we humbly ask for forgiveness.”
According to ILNA, in late February, the Islamic Consultative Assembly’s Judicial and Legal Commission’s spokesman announced the commission’s legislation for the elimination of the death penalty for drug carriers from the law, and said: “Based on this Judicial and Legal Commission legislation, a provision entitled Article 46 will be added to the Law on the Amendment of the Law for the Fight Against Illicit Drugs, pursuant to which, those committing crimes under the Law for whom the death penalty or life imprisonment has been provided, shall be considered Mofsed fel-Arz and shall be sentenced to death and to expropriation of properties obtained from drug trafficking if one of the conditions hereunder is satisfied; in the other instances where the death penalty or life imprisonment has been provided, the criminals shall be sentenced to 25 to 30 years imprisonment as the case may require, and to payment of first degree cash penalty from one billion Rials up to twice that amount, and those to whom second degree imprisonment applies shall be sentenced to payment of second degree cash penalty.”
Hojjatoleslam Noruzi also emphasized that, in accordance with the Judicial and Legal Commission’s regulation, the purpose of which is to reduce the death penalty for drug traffickers, carriers of drugs will no longer be executed.