Iran Human Rights, September 25: According to the reports from Iran a minor offender identified as Mohammad was hanged in the Marvdasht prison of Shiraz. According to these reports Mohammad, who was convicted of a murder when he was 17 years old, was hanged without his family being informed on July 10th this year.

According to the Iranian daily newspaper Vatan-e-Emrouz Mohammad (17), Reza (15), Sadegh (12), Hassan (17) and Siamak (17) were arrested in connection with rape and murder of two young boys Hamed Shiri and Karim Tajik in 2007. Mohammad and Reza were sentenced to death, 100 lashes and 8 years in prison for murder and rape, Siamak and Hassan were sentenced to 15 years in prison for complicity in murder and 100 lashes for sexual abuse, and Sadegh was acquitted by the court since he was ony a witness to the crimes. The sentences were approved by the Supreme court

Reza’s death sentence was later removed after paying the blood money, and he was instead sentenced to 10 years in prison, making his prison term 18 years all together.

Mohammad was hanged in the Marvdasht prison on July 10th 2010.

Iran has ratified the UN’s convention for rights of the child, that bans death penalty or life time in prison for offences committed at under 18 years of age. However, Iran is at the top of the list of the few countries esecuting minor offenders.