Amnesty International's Protest Against the Execution of Alireza Tajiki: It Was Shameless

On Thursday, August 10, Amnesty International in London condemned the execution of Alireza Tajiki in Shiraz, which took place just hours after his death, labeling it a 'shameless' act. Alireza Tajiki, who had been imprisoned in Adelabad prison in Shiraz since the age of 15 for allegedly committing 'rape and murder,' was executed early Thursday morning in the same city, despite having had his execution postponed at least twice before. Amnesty International had previously stated that Tajiki was sentenced to death in April 2013 by the Criminal Court of Fars province based on 'confessions' obtained under torture, which he had repeatedly denied in court. His execution was initially scheduled for May 2016. In response to the execution of a defendant who committed an offense as a minor, Amnesty International described the act as 'shameless' despite widespread public and international opposition. Magdalena Mughrabi, Deputy Director for the Middle East at Amnesty International, stated that the Iranian judiciary's execution of this sentence violates international laws. She also characterized the execution of Alireza Tajiki as a sign of 'the Iranian authorities' contempt for children's rights.' Meanwhile, according to the AANA news agency, Ali Salehi, the public prosecutor of Shiraz, emphasized the legality of Tajiki's execution, claiming that 'all stages of a fair and just trial were followed and the defendant utilized all his legal rights.' The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on the Rights of the Child, which Iran is a signatory to, along with UN standards regarding minors, prohibit the execution of individuals who were under 18 at the time of their crime. Nevertheless, the public prosecutor of Shiraz asserted that 'the defendant possessed all conditions of criminal responsibility, namely reason, maturity, and understanding of the gravity of the act committed, and bore full criminal responsibility.' Human rights organizations state that Iran's judiciary does not execute condemned minors immediately but rather executes them after they reach the age of 18. International bodies also consider the execution of minors after they reach legal age to be contrary to the International Covenant on the Rights of the Child and global laws, asserting that Iranian authorities should consider the age at which the crime was committed. Iran has the second-highest number of executions in the world after China, but ranks first in per capita executions. In its statement on Thursday, Amnesty International pointed out that Alireza Tajiki was 'the fourth defendant arrested as a child to be executed this year,' sharply criticizing that this recent execution demonstrates the 'emptiness of claims' by Iranian officials regarding having a suitable judicial system for children. According to this organization, Iranian officials do not even have 'the will to implement the reforms they propose.' Previously, Human Rights Watch described Alireza Tajiki's trial process as 'unfair and not adhering to international standards' and called for a halt to his execution. Human Rights Watch had urged Iran's judiciary to prepare for a retrial for all offenders under 18, respecting human rights and international standards.