Execution of a Juvenile in Iran

On Tuesday, January 30, Iranian authorities have executed a young man convicted of murder who was only 15-years-old at the time of the crime.

The murder was reportedly committed seven years ago and Ali Kazemi was 22 at the time of the execution.

His execution was scheduled and carried out without any notice given to Ali Kazemi’s lawyer as required by Iranian law.

The execution of juveniles is strictly banned by international law, however, Ali Kazemi is the second juvenile offender to have been executed this month. On Thursday, January 4, Amir Hossein Pourjafar, who had committed murder at age 16, was executed at Rajai Shahr Prison.

These sentences prove that Article 91 of the Islamic Penal Code (2013), as well as other articles related to protection of children at risk of retaliation, cannot effectively protect juvenile-offenders from execution.

The execution of this Juvenile offender is a violation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child which Iran has ratified.