The minor offender Behnood Shojaee not getting pardoned- He is at imminent risk of execution

This was allegedly to allow Behnood Shojaee to seek a pardon from the family of the boy he was convicted of fatally stabbing on 18 June 2005, and to allow the two families to reach a financial settlement. Since such an agreement has not been be made, Behnood Shojaee remains at risk of being executed.

The human rights activists critisize the Iranian authorities for putting the blame of Behnood’s possible execution on the family of the offender. They believe that international pressure to make the Iranian authorities follow their international obligations is the only way remained to save Behnood’s life, as well as the lives of the other more than 90 minors on the death rows waiting in the Iranian prisons.

Iran has ratified the UN’s convention for the rights of the children which bans capital punishment for the offences committed when under 18 (as it is the case with Behnood). Despite that, Iran has been the country with the highest number of minor executions in the past years.