EU urges the Iranian authorities to ban all cases of execution of minors

The statement issued by EU is as follows:

Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of the European Union on the circular banning executions in Iran of persons who were minors at the time of the crime

31.10.2008

The European Union welcomes the fact that the Iranian authorities have issued a circular banning executions of persons who were minors at the time of the crime for which they were condemned and commends that gesture, which aims to bring the practices of the Islamic Republic of Iran into line with its international commitments.

The European Union urges the Iranian authorities to ban all cases of execution of persons who were minors at the time of the crime, whatever their age when they were tried and without artificially excluding cases of execution under lex talionis, which now account for all of these executions.

Bearing in mind that a previous Iranian circular published in 2005 on the same issue was not put into effect, the European Union calls on the Iranian authorities to ensure that this ban is effective by adopting a legally binding and generally applicable provision such as a law voted by Parliament.