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Iran:
Young Man Executed for Alleged Sex Crime
For Immediate Release
Contact: Hossein Alizadeh, IGLHRC Communications Coordinator, 212-430-6016
ماکوان مولود زاده صبح روز پنجم دسامبر در
کرمانشاه اعدام شد.
خبرهای تکمیلی را می توانید به فارسی و
انگلیسی در سایت سازمان دیده بان حقوق بشر بخوانید که در آخر متن این ایمیل
به آن لینک داده شده است.
(New York,
Wednesday December 5, 2007)
- The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) has
learned today that despite an order by the Iranian Chief Justice to
nullify his death sentence, Mr. Makvan Mouloodzadeh was executed in
Kermanshah Central Prison at
5 a.m. this morning, Iranian time.
Neither Mr. Mouloodzadeh's family or his lawyer were told about the
execution until after it occurred. IGLHRC is still investigating the facts
in this case.
"This is a shameful and outrageous travesty of justice and international
human rights law," said Paula Ettelbrick, IGLHRC's executive director.
"How many more young Iranians have to die before the international
community takes action?"
Mr. Mouloodzadeh was a 21-year-old Iranian citizen who was accused of
committing anal rape (ighab) with other young boys when he was 13 years
old. However, at Mr. Mouloodzadeh's trial, all the witnesses retracted
their pre-trial testimonies, claiming to have lied to the authorities
under duress. Makvan also told the court that his confession was made
under coercion and pleaded not guilty. On
June 7, 2007, the Seventh District Criminal Court of
Kermanshah in
Western Iran
found him guilty and sentenced him to death. Despite his lawyer's appeal,
the Supreme Court upheld his death sentence on
August 1, 2007. The case caused an
international uproar, and prompted a letter writing campaign by IGLHRC and
similar actions by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Outrage! and
Everyone Group.
In response to mounting public pressure, and following a detailed petition
submitted to the Iranian Chief Justice by Mr. Mouloodzadeh's lawyer, the
Iranian Chief Justice, Ayatollah Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, nullified
the impending death sentence of Mr. Mouloodzadeh. In his
November 10, 2007
opinion (1/86/8607), the Iranian Chief Justice described the death
sentence to be in violation of Islamic teachings, the religious decrees of
high-ranking Shiite clerics, and the law of the land.
In accordance with Iranian legal procedure, Mr. Mouloodzadeh's case was
sent to the Special Supervision Bureau of the Iranian Justice Department,
a designated group of judges who are responsible for reviewing and
ordering retrials of flawed cases flagged by the Iranian Chief Justice.
However, in defiance of the Chief Justice, the judges decided to ratify
the original court's ruling and ordered the local authorities to carry out
the execution.
Mr. Mouloodzadeh's execution came days after a panel at the UN General
Assembly passed a resolution calling for a moratorium on the death
penalty.
You can read IGLHRC's action alert on our website:
http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/section.php?id=5&detail=797
Our Letter to the Iranian authorities is also posted on our website in
both English and Persian:
http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/section.php?id=5&detail=798
You can read Human Rights Watch press released on:
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/12/05/iran17482.htm
HRW press released in Persian:
http://hrw.org/persian/docs/2007/12/05/iran17485.htm
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