Human Rights Organization Warns: Mohammad Reza Azizi, Child Offender Imprisoned in Shiraz, Faces Imminent Execution

A human rights organization has warned that Mohammad Reza Azizi, a child offender imprisoned in Shiraz Central Prison, who was arrested on charges of "premeditated murder" and sentenced to qisas (retribution), is facing imminent execution. According to Iran Human Rights, Mohammad Reza Azizi, born on August 24, 2003, was arrested on September 20, 2020, when he was only 17 years and 27 days old. A relative of Mohammad Reza Azizi informed Iran Human Rights that he was recently transferred from the Green Ward for Youth to "Ward 10 Hemmat," and the family’s lawyer has been notified that his death sentence is set to be carried out next Sunday, October 21. According to this source, Azizi was initially injured in the thigh during a confrontation and then drew a knife in self-defense, which struck the victim; however, his self-defense was disregarded in court, and a qisas sentence was issued. The court also ignored witnesses introduced by the family, and even two of them were not summoned to testify. Based on existing documents, the psychiatric commission of the forensic medicine organization in Shiraz confirmed Azizi's mental growth only by asking a few simple questions such as "Do you know that murder is against the law?" and examining his physical growth. This is despite the fact that according to Article 91 of the Islamic Penal Code, judges can request a mental growth assessment from forensic medicine for individuals under 18 who have committed murder. According to this report, Mohammad Reza Azizi's lawyers requested this assessment to be conducted at Tehran Forensic Medicine, but this request was rejected. Mahmoud Amiri-Moghaddam, director of Iran Human Rights, stated: "In addition to the illegality of issuing a death sentence for individuals under 18 at the time of the crime according to international laws and Iran's obligations, the judicial process for Mohammad Reza Azizi has significant flaws." He added that "currently, strong international reaction is one of the few ways to save Mohammad Reza Azizi from execution." The Islamic Republic has repeatedly sentenced child offenders to death, and Iran has the highest number of juvenile executions in the world. Despite the fact that the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights prohibit the issuance and execution of death sentences for individuals under 18, the Islamic Republic of Iran continues to carry out this punishment, justifying it by stating it must be consistent with Sharia and domestic laws.