Child Offender Executed in Rasht Prison; Amnesty International: They Deceived and Suddenly Executed Him

Mohammad Hassan Reza’i, a child offender who was 16 years old at the time of the alleged crime, was executed early Thursday morning, December 31st, after spending at least 14 years in Rasht Central Prison (Lakan).

Raha Bahraini, Iran researcher at Amnesty International, confirmed the news on her Twitter page, writing: “Two weeks ago, Mohammad Hassan Reza’i’s execution was halted due to international and diplomatic pressure. But they deceived us and today, they suddenly executed him on the last day of the calendar year.”

Ms. Bahraini continued in her tweet: “They fear the formation of major international campaigns. They want to kill without any fuss.”

Global Condemnation of the Islamic Republic’s Action

On Thursday, December 31st, Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the United Nations Human Rights Office, reacted to the execution of Mohammad Hassan Reza’i by issuing a statement and considered it a violation of international law.

The United Nations states that in 2020, this is the fourth case of execution of someone who committed a crime during childhood.

The statement emphasizes that the execution of child offenders is categorically prohibited under international law and Iran is committed to complying with this prohibition.

The statement states that Michelle Bachelet, United Nations Human Rights Commissioner, strongly condemns the execution of Mohammad Hassan Reza’i and notes that between December 19 and December 26, at least eight people were executed across the country in various Iranian prisons, and unconfirmed reports suggest that at least eight others face the danger of imminent execution.

The European Union also issued a statement on Thursday, December 31st, and while opposing the death penalty under any circumstances, strongly condemned the execution of Mohammad Hassan Reza’i. This union reiterated that capital punishment for crimes committed by persons under 18 years of age is inconsistent with Iran’s commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The union also, noting that capital punishment cannot serve as a deterrent against crime, called on Iranian authorities to refrain from any executions in the future and to pursue a consistent policy for abolishing capital punishment.

Amnesty International had previously called for the commutation of Mohammad Hassan Reza’i’s execution in multiple statements. This human rights organization, on Wednesday, December 30th, again called on the Islamic Republic authorities to immediately halt the execution program for Mohammad Hassan Reza’i, commute his conviction and sentence, and create conditions for a fair new trial. According to this organization’s report, the new investigation should be conducted with full compliance with laws governing juvenile criminal justice and without using capital punishment.

According to Amnesty International, Iranian authorities had intended to carry out the execution of this young Iranian two weeks earlier, but the execution plan was halted three days after his transfer to solitary confinement and following international protests, and Mr. Reza’i was then returned to the general ward.

Mohammad Hassan Reza’i was arrested in 2007, at age 16, during a group dispute in connection with a man’s death by knife wounds. According to Amnesty International, authorities held him despite his young age in prolonged solitary confinement, without access to family or a lawyer. They repeatedly tortured him to coerce “confessions” against himself. Amnesty International specifically mentioned torture including beatings with sticks, fists and kicks, and whipping with hoses.

According to Amnesty International, the trial court in 2008 relied on the “forced confessions” of this child offender and sentenced him to execution for murder.

This is not the first time the Islamic Republic has sentenced someone arrested during childhood to execution. In early May of this year, Voice of America reported that Shayan Sa’idpur’s execution was carried out in Saqqez Central Prison. He was convicted of a murder he committed before turning 18.

Amnesty International, noting that at least 90 child offenders in Iran are at risk of execution, states that this human rights organization has repeatedly called on Iranian authorities to completely abolish capital punishment for crimes committed by persons under 18 years of age by amending Article 91 of the Islamic Penal Code adopted in 2013.

Iran is among the last countries in the world that, in violation of its commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, continues to apply capital punishment for crimes committed by persons under 18 years of age.

The U.S. State Department has repeatedly condemned the repeated and ongoing violations of the rights of Iranian citizens by the regime governing that country in various instances.

Source: Voice of America