URGENT ACTION APPEAL
18 January 2008
UA 17/08 Fear of imminent execution/ flogging
IRAN
Tayyeb Karimi (m)
Yazdan (m) (surname not known)
Four other men, unnamed
Tayyeb Karimi and Yazdan are at imminent risk of execution
by being 'thrown from a height', or 'cliff' (partab az
bolandi). They were convicted of abduction, rape and theft
and sentenced to death by a judge in Shiraz, Fars province,
southern Iran, in May 2007. The judge ordered that they be
executed in the way described. Four other men have been
sentenced to 100 lashes each for their involvement in the
same crimes.
On 2 January 2008, Qods, a national daily newspaper in Iran,
reported that the sentences of the two men had been
confirmed by the Supreme Court, and sent for implementation,
and that four other men had been convicted by Branch 2 of
the Fars Criminal Court to 100 lashes each, in connection
with the same case. The six men were accused of having
abducted two young men in the city of Arsanjan, to the east
of Shiraz, whom they harassed and whose property they stole
before allegedly raping them.
At a press conference on 15 January, Ali Reza Jamshidi, the
Spokesman for the Judiciary in Iran, confirmed that the
sentences had been upheld by the Supreme Court, but that
they had not yet been carried out. His statement appeared to
contradict the Qods article, as it suggested that the Head
of the Judiciary may not yet have given final approval for
the executions. All death sentences in Iran must be
approved by the Head of the Judiciary before they can be
carried out. He has the power to suspend the execution.
Iran's Penal Code states in Article 109 that both men
involved in same-sex penetrative (anal) or non-penetrative
sex will be punished. Article 110 states that those
convicted of engaging in anal sex will be executed and that
the manner of execution is at the discretion of the judge.
Article 111 states that both will be executed "provided
both the active and passive parties are mature, sane and
consenting". There is no separate legislation dealing with
rape. Article 14 of the Directive on Implementation
Regulations for Sentences of Retribution in kind, Stoning,
Murder, Crucifixion, Death Penalty and Flogging states that
death may be carried out by hanging, firing squad,
electrocution or another method determined by the judge
issuing the verdict. If no other method is specified, the
method will be hanging. The sentence passed in this case is
exceptional in its apparent intent to inflict suffering.
The sentence was condemned by the Centre for Human Rights
Defenders, a Tehran-based human rights NGO whose members
include Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In 2007, at least 312 people, including child offenders,
were executed in Iran, although the true figure may be
considerably higher.
On 18 December 2007, the UN General Assembly, sitting in
plenary, endorsed the text of a resolution that had been
adopted on 15 November by its Third Committee. The
resolution was adopted by 104 countries voting in favour, 54
against and 29 abstentions. Although the resolution is not
legally binding, the size of the majority vote means that
the resolution carries considerable moral and political
weight. This landmark decision by the UN's highest political
body is a clear recognition by states of the growing
international trend towards abolition of the death penalty.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as
possible:
- stating that Amnesty International acknowledges the right
and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those
suspected of criminal offences but is unconditionally
opposed to the use of the death penalty and opposes the use
of flogging and other judicial corporal punishments which
constitute torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading
punishment;
- calling on the authorities to abide by the moratorium on
the implementation of the death penalty called for by the
United Nations General Assembly in December 2007 and to
commute immediately the death sentences passed on Tayyeb
Karimi and Yazdan,
- calling on the authorities to commute the flogging
sentences imposed on the other four men.
APPEALS TO:
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Justice Building, Panzdah-
Khordad Square,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info at dadgostary-tehran.ir
(In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info at leader.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency
Governor of Fars province
Seyyed Mohammad Reza Rezazade
Governorate of Fars (Ostandari-ye Ostan-e Fars)
Emam Khomeini Square
Shiraz, 71348-58888, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: m-h-ostandar at farsp.ir
m-siasi at farsp.ir
info at farsp.ir
Salutation: Dear Governor
Iran does not presently have an embassy in the United States.
Instead, please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Fax: 1 202 965 1073
Email: requests at daftar.org
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals
after 29 February 2008.
----------------------------------
Tip of the Month:
Use shortcuts: Do whatever is necessary to make your
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letters will not be put off and they can be sent out sooner.
Start by making a generic file for each type of concern;
paragraphs on torture, the death penalty, disappearances,
denial of medical care and so on, can be copied into your
working file and edited as needed.
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To all other destination countries:
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Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement
that promotes and defends human rights.
This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including
contact information and stop action date (if applicable).
Thank you for your help with this appeal.
Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan at aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax: 2 202.675.8566
----------------------------------
END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
----------------------------------
**************************
URGENT ACTION APPEAL
18 January 2008
UA 15/08 Death Penalty/imminent execution/unfair trial
IRAN Amir Amrollahi (m), aged 17 or 18
Child offender Amir Amrollahi is in imminent danger of
execution for a murder committed when he was 16 years old.
His execution order has been approved by the Supreme Court
and passed to the Office for the Implementation of
Sentences, which organizes executions.
The murder took place in November 2006 during a fight with
another boy, who was fatally stabbed. According to his
lawyer, who took up his case very recently, Amir Amrollahi
stabbed the other boy in the chest because he thought the
other boy was about to attack him, and then panicked and ran
off. Then, according to eyewitnesses, there was a delay of
at least half an hour before any medical assistance reached
the victim of the stabbing, by which time his wound had
proved fatal.
His family is poor, so Amir Amrollahi could not afford
competent legal representation at his trial. According to a
lawyer who recently took over his case, the court did not
hear that the killing had been unintentional, or that he was
prescribed heavy doses of sedatives while in prison awaiting
trial. His mental state at the time of the incident was not
properly considered.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
International law strictly prohibits the use of the death
penalty against child offenders, those convicted of crimes
committed when they were under 18. Iran is a state party to
both the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and so
has undertaken not to execute child offenders. However,
since 1990, Iran has executed at least 30 child offenders,
at least six of them in 2007. There are now at least 86
child offenders on death row in Iran. This number may be
even higher as at least a further 15 Afghan child offenders
have reportedly been sentenced to death.
For more information about Amnesty International's concerns
regarding executions of child offenders in Iran, please see:
Iran: The last executioner of children (June 2007)
http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engmde130592007
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as
possible:
- calling on the authorities to halt the execution of Amir
Amrollahi immediately;
- expressing concern that he was sentenced to death for a
crime committed when he was under 18;
- calling on the authorities to commute his death sentence;
- reminding the authorities that Iran is a state party to
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and
the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibit
the use of the death penalty against people convicted of
crimes committed when they were under 18;
- stating that Amnesty International recognizes the right
and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those
suspected of criminal offenses, but is opposed to the death
penalty in all circumstances.
APPEALS TO:
Head of the Judiciary
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice, Panzdah Khordad (Ark) Square,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info at dadgostary-tehran.ir
(In the subject line: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Fax: 011 98 21 3390 4986 (please keep trying. If a voice answers,
say, "Fax please.")
Salutation: Your Excellency
Leader of the Islamic Republic
His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei, The Office of
the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info at leader.ir
Salutation: Your Excellency
COPIES TO:
President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 21 6 649 5880
Email: dr-ahmadinejad at president.ir (via website)
http://www.president.ir/email/
Director, Human Rights Headquarters of Iran
His Excellency Mohammad Javad Larijani
C/o Office of the Deputy for International Affairs
Ministry of Justice,
Ministry of Justice Building, Panzdah-Khordad (Ark) Square,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: 011 98 21 5 537 8827 (please keep trying)
Iran does not presently have an embassy in the United
States. Instead, please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Fax: 1 202 965 1073
Email: requests at daftar.org
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
----------------------------------
Tip of the Month:
Use shortcuts: Do whatever is necessary to make your
letter writing as quick and easy as possible. This way,
letters will not be put off and they can be sent out sooner.
Start by making a generic file for each type of concern;
paragraphs on torture, the death penalty, disappearances,
denial of medical care and so on, can be copied into your
working file and edited as needed.
** POSTAGE RATES **
Within the United States:
$0.26 - Postcards
$0.41 - Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To Mexico and Canada:
$0.69 - Postcards
$0.69 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
To all other destination countries:
$0.90 - Postcards
$0.90 - Airmail Letters and Cards (up to 1 oz.)
Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement
that promotes and defends human rights.
This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including
contact information and stop action date (if applicable).
Thank you for your help with this appeal.
Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan at aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax: 202.675.8566
----------------------------------
END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
----------------------------------
[Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide
Rick Halperin Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:15:29 -0600 (Central Standard Time)
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
- [Deathpenalty] death penalty news-----worldwide Rick Halperin
