IRAN: Man hanged for alleged crimes committed as 13-year-old

[7 December 2007] - A 20-year-old man has been hanged in Iran after an Islamic Sharia court found him guilty of raping three boys.

Authorities ignored a ruling to delay the execution until the case could be reviewed after the man withdrew his confession saying police had forced it out of him.

Makwan Mouloudzadeh was accused of raping three boys when he was aged 13.

Human Rights Watch says that since then, the three boys withdrew their accusation.

According to his lawyer, the most senior judge in Tehran ordered a stay on the execution so the case could be reviewed.

But instead, his lawyer said, the man was executed earlier this week.

The execution was also confirmed by Human Rights Watch, which said it was appalled.

Further information

  • Human Rights Watch: Prevent Execution of Juvenile Offender (5 December 2007)
  • Convention on the Rights of the Child (article 37) (ratified by Iran): 'No child shall be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Neither capital punishment nor life imprisonment without possibility of release shall be imposed for offences committed by persons below 18 years of age'

pdf: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/12/07/2112256.htm?section=justin

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