Germany calls for end to death penalty in Iran
The German government's human rights commissioner condemned the execution of a defendant in Iran who committed murder at the age of 15 , calling the Islamic Republic's action an unacceptable violation of international law.
According to Reuters, on Wednesday, February 1, Barbel Kofler said in protest against the execution of Ali Kazemi that the defendant's lawyer was not even informed of his client's execution.
Ali Kazemi, who was 22 years old when he was executed, was accused of killing another young man during a gang fight. His execution drew a strong response from Amnesty International, which described it as “extraordinarily cruel.”
Amnesty International emphasizes that the execution of Ali Kazemi is a complete violation of children's rights, as international law stipulates that defendants who have committed crimes under the age of 18 should not be sentenced to death.
Meanwhile, the German government's human rights commissioner has called on Tehran to halt the execution of 27-year-old Hamid Ahmadi, who is said to have committed a crime when he was 17.
Barbel Kofler stated that there are doubts about the legal process in Mr. Ahmadi's case and it is unclear whether his trial was based on legal standards.
Hamid Ahmadi is also accused of murder. He was sentenced to death about 9 years ago and his sentence was confirmed last year. The report says that Hamid Ahmadi is expected to be executed at any moment. But the German government's human rights commissioner insists that "the death penalty policy must be stopped."
His statement said that these executions are a direct violation of the United Nations conventions on the rights of the child and international civil rights treaties, to which Iran has also signed.
Also, Federica Mogherini, the European Union's foreign policy chief, considered Kazemi's execution to be contrary to Iran's international obligations and said in a statement issued by her spokesperson: "The European Union opposes the death penalty under all circumstances and calls for its abolition worldwide."
Source: Radio Farda
