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In Iran: A Juvenile Offender to Be Executed on Wednesday

16 Jan 18
In Iran: A Juvenile Offender to Be Executed on Wednesday

Iran Human Rights (Jan 16, 2018): Abolfazl Chezahi Sharahi, an underage offender who is sentenced to death on murder charges, has been transferred to solitary confinement and is scheduled to be executed at Qom Central prison on Wednesday. IHR calls on the international community to react before it is too late.

According to a close source, the authorities informed Abolfazl Chezahi Sharahi’s family that his execution would be carried out on the morning of Wednesday, January 17. He is sentenced to death on the charge of murder during a street fight.

 Abolfazl Chezahi Sharahi, son of Asghar, was born on January 16, 1999, and he was only 15 at the time of committing the crime on December 26, 2013.

Abolfazl’s public defender asked for a checkup by the forensics on July 20, 2014, and the forensics report states, “The 15-year-old defendant committed murder last winter and is mentally mature and aware of his action (murder).”

As a result, the court issued a death sentence and sent the case to the Supreme Court after Abolfazl objected to the verdict. The Supreme Court rejected the verdict based on the defendant’s age and the forensic reports and sent the case to a parallel court.

The second court also issues death sentence and this time the Supreme Court approves the verdict.

According to the latest reports, Abolfazl Chezahi Sharahi has been transferred to solitary confinement at Qom Central Prison, and he is scheduled to be executed.

Another juvenile offender was executed on January 8.

Iran Human Rights (IHR) calls for an immediate halt of execution of Abolfazl Chezahi Sharahi and a retrial based on Iran’s international commitments.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of Iran Human Rights (IHR), says: “The European governments should not be indifferent to the execution of juveniles, especially those who have a closer economic and political relationship with Iran.” 

Amiry-Moghaddam insists: “We demand the European governments to force Iranian authorities to immediately halt the execution of Abolfazl Chezahi Sharahi and put a stop to the execution of juveniles.”

According to the Iran Human Rights annual report on the death penalty, five juveniles have been executed in 2017. The international laws ban the execution of juveniles.

IHR calls on the international community to react before it is too late.