URGENT: Iranian Man’s Acid Blinding Punishment Set for Tomorrow Morning in Tehran

Iran Human Rights, July 30: According to reports from Iran, the blinding sentence of Majid Movahedi will be implemented in Tehran early Sunday morning. Acid is set to be dripped in both his eyes.

In November 2008, a court in the Iranian capital Tehran sentenced Majid Movahedi to "blindness in both eyes" by ten drops of sulfuric acid for splashing acid on Ameneh Bahrami’s face in 2004. She had allegedly spurned his marriage proposals. Ameneh Bahrami’s face became disfigured and she lost the sight in both eyes as a result of the injury. The sentence was approved by the Iranian Supreme Court in February 2009.

The sentence was scheduled php?article2069" class='spip_in'>to be implemented on May 14th but was postponed, probably due to the massive international attention the case received.

According to Alarabiya, Iranian authorities have decided to implement the verdict before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins on August 1st. The news has also been confirmed on the Ameneh Bahrami Facebook page. It stated: "Ameneh’s retribution sentence will be implemented at 6:00am tomorrow."

The sentence was approved by the Iranian Supreme Court in February 2009.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of Iran Human Rights (IHR) strongly condemned what he called a "barbaric and grotesque" punishment. He said, ”The international community must not let this barbaric punishment to happen." He added, ”Leaders of the Iranian regime should be held responsible for the barbaric and grotesque punishment of dripping acid in Majid’s eyes. These types of sentences are only meant to spread fear among the people and will, without a doubt, promote even more violence in the Iranian society."

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam has asked the assigned doctors to not take part in the barbaric act of retribution because, if they do, they will be breaking their professional oath.

Regarding the discriminatory laws against women in Iran, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said, "By being a woman, Ameneh is also a victim of the Iranian regime’s gender apartheid politics. Iranian authorities encourage violence against women. According to the Iranian laws, a woman who is not covered properly can be lashed up to 74 times, so the authorities are also responsible for the growing violence against women in the Iranian society, like Ameneh’s case."

Background:

In 2004, Majid Movahedi was convicted of pouring acid on the face of Ameneh Bahrami, 27, a young woman he allegedly wished to marry.

As a result of the injuries, Ameneh Bahrami lost her sight in one eye and most of her sight in the other eye. She has been going through numerous surgical operations on her face and eyes to reverse the damage.

In 2008, a court in Tehran sentenced Majid Movahedi to Qesas (retribution, eye-for-an-eye). He was sentenced to lose the sight in both his eyes and to provide Ameneh Bahrami with economic compensation.

The Iranian Supreme Court approved the sentence in February 2009. According to the sentence issued by the court, ten drops of sulfuric acid will be dripped into each of Majid Movahedi’s eyes.

The punishment is set to take effect on the morning of July 31st.