Ninth Day of Hunger Strike; Report on the Condition of a Child Offender Sentenced to Death
Mohammad Salehi, a child offender sentenced to death, has been on hunger strike for the past nine days in Mahabad Prison in protest against prison officials’ obstruction of the process to commute his sentence. This inmate, who is being held in solitary confinement in Mahabad Prison, has been subjected to beatings by prison guards for refusing to end his hunger strike.
According to Hrana news agency, the news organ of the human rights activists coalition in Iran, Mohammad Salehi, son of Khader (Khezr), from Sardasht county is a child accused of murder who was convicted of killing at age 17 and subsequently sentenced to death.
This inmate, despite reaching an agreement with the victim’s family and securing the blood money compensation amount, has had his case referred to the prison’s execution department.
The victim’s family members agreed to pay a sum of money for Mr. Salehi’s case, however, the court judges, for unknown reasons, have not reviewed this child offender’s case and have not issued an order to change the sentence.
Since nine days ago, this inmate has gone on hunger strike in protest of the failure to process his legal case and has been transferred to solitary confinement in Mahabad Prison since that time.
An informed source regarding this child accused of murder told Hrana’s reporter: “This inmate has been held in prison for nearly 18 months and is now approximately 19 years old, accused of murder, and is currently on day nine of his hunger strike in solitary confinement.”
He further added, “He has been beaten by prison guards in solitary confinement for refusing to end his hunger strike.”
It should be noted that Iranian law considers the criminal punishment age for children to be 15 years for boys and 9 years for girls. This is while international conventions prohibit the execution of individuals under 18 years of age.
The punishment of children in Iran, including the issuance of death sentences for them in various cases such as involvement in murder, drug trafficking, and others, has always been one of the major challenges of human rights violations in Iran.
This action by Iran contradicts the country’s commitments under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Source: Hrana
