17-year-old Hamidreza Azari, convicted of murder, was hanged in a prison in the town of Sabzevar on Friday. Iran is one of the few countries that executes juvenile criminals.
Iran executed a 17-year-old Hamidreza Azari convicted of murder, according to the human rights organizations Hengaw and Iran Human Rights (IHR), which monitor the human rights situation in Iran.
Azari was hanged in the Sabzevar prison in northeastern Iran on Friday, November 24. He had been sentenced to death because he had killed a man in a fight in May of this year.
Azari was 16 years old at the time of the crime and 17 years old at the time of the execution, both Hengaw and IHR say, referring to the documents they have seen.
However, it has been claimed in Iran’s state media that Azari was already 18 years old. According to human rights organizations, it is Iran’s way of covering up the fact that the country still executes minors.
Death sentences for minors are against international human rights treaties. In addition, they are prohibited in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Iran has signed both agreements.
Iran is not the only country that executes minors convicted of crimes. In the 21st century, minors have been executed not only in Iran but also in China, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen. In Iran, however, executions of minors are carried out the most.
In 2013, a new Islamic criminal code was introduced in Iran. According to it, 15-year-old boys and 9-year-old girls are of legal age under Sharia law, and thus criminally responsible for their actions, meaning they can be executed if they commit crimes against God. Such are, for example, revenge crimes such as murder.
According to IHR data, at least 69 minors have been executed in Iran since 2010.
Human rights organizations: Iran intimidates citizens with executions
Iran’s human rights situation has deteriorated drastically in recent years.
Demonstrations against the old Islamic regime raged in Iran, especially in the autumn of last year, when a 22-year-old woman Masha Amini died after being arrested by the chastity police for wearing a hijab incorrectly.
After Amin’s death, months of protests began in Iran. As a result of the protests, many have been sentenced to prison and death: this week, Iran also executed a 20-year-old man.
According to human rights organizations, Iran tries to intimidate citizens with executions after demonstrations.