UN Human Rights Experts Condemn Execution of Juvenile Offenders in Iran

On Friday, UN human rights officials condemned the execution of two juvenile offenders in Iran and urged the Iranian government to "stop executing individuals below the legal age." According to AFP, Fatemeh Salabihi was executed on Tuesday for the murder of a man she was forced to marry at the age of 16. This brings the number of women executed this year to eleven, while at least 700 men have been executed since the beginning of 2015. The UN human rights officials noted in their statement that there were numerous legal flaws during Fatemeh Salabihi's appeal trial and warned that her execution is a clear violation of international laws prohibiting the death penalty for offenders under the age of eighteen. The execution of Samad Zahabi, which occurred last week, was also condemned in the statement. Samad Zahabi was sentenced to death in March 2013 for the murder of his shepherd colleague when he was only 17 years old. The statement also mentioned that "Mr. Zahabi's family was not informed, and his defense lawyer, who should have been notified 48 hours in advance according to the law, was also not informed." Ahmad Shahid, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in Iran, stated: "These two cases are painful examples of the increasing number of executions and concerns regarding the lack of adherence to fair trial standards in the Islamic Republic of Iran." Christophe Hein, a UN expert on extrajudicial executions, condemned these executions as "illegal killings by the government, equivalent to murders committed by individuals." He added: "These cases are deep tragedies that diminish the value of human life and consequently the dignity of the country. Executing a juvenile offender, especially after a trial that raises significant doubts about its fairness, is a blatant violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and violates the Convention on the Rights of the Child." This UN expert stated: "Iran must immediately stop killing children." Dubravka Simonovic, a UN expert on violence against women, criticized the court for not considering Fatemeh Salabihi's life and the circumstances surrounding the murder, stating that her case is "a prominent example of the problems and obstacles that victims of domestic violence face in judicial systems." She added: "The severe impacts of sexual, psychological, and physical violence in the home environment on these women cannot be overlooked." Dubravka Simonovic expressed concern about the large number of underage girls who are forced into marriage in Iran, referencing Fatemeh's young age at the time of her forced marriage. These three UN experts and human rights officials urged the Iranian government to halt executions and abolish the death penalty altogether.