The head of Iran’s judiciary has issued the final permission to execute Saeed Jazee, the 21 year old Iranian boy who was sentenced to death for an alleged murder at the age of 17. The victim was 5 years older than him at the time.
In December of 2007, Iranian children rights attorney Mohammad Mostafaei sent SCE a copy of his letter to Iran’s head of Judiciary, Ayatollah Shahrudi, in which he detailed the case of Saeed Jazee. The alleged victim was 5 years older than him at the time.
Saeed’s attorney in the letter to Shahrudi explained that Saeed who is a sculpturing artist went to the sandwich shop of his close friend to eat while his family were on vacation. He picked a sandwich and started eating and the new employee, who did not know Saeed started arguing, took the kitchen knife and attacked Saeed . Saeed resisted and the knife fell and Saeed in order to scare and stop the employee picked up the knife but the employee charged towards him while Saeed was holding the knife.
After being injured , Saeed tried to help and even other employees who had seen the incident hid the knife since they felt that Saeed was not at fault. Saeed’s attorney thinks that the alleged victim was the cause of his own death and he suspects that he may have been under a drug or alcohol influence and states that the body should have been tested for
drugs.
Under Article 206 (b) of Iran’s Criminal Code, murder is classed as premeditated “in cases where the murderer intentionally makes an action which is inherently lethal, even if [the murderer] does not intend to kill the person.”
On January 9th, 2008 Amnesty International also issued an urgent action request to save Saeed’s life.
To help save Saeed from execution please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English, French or your own language:
expressing concern that Saeed Jazee is at risk of execution for a crime committed when he was under 18;
– calling on the authorities to commute his death sentence;
– reminding them that Iran is a state party to both the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which prohibits the use of the death penalty against those under the age of 18 at the time of offense, and that the execution of Saeed Jazee would therefore be a violation of international law;
– urging the authorities to pass legislation to abolish the death penalty for offences committed by persons under theage of 18, so bringing Iran’s domestic law in line with its obligations under international law;
– stating that you acknowledge the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offenses, but unconditionally opposes child executions.
APPEALS TO:
Leader of the Islamic Republic
Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader, Islamic Republic Street –
Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@leader.ir
Head of the Judiciary
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St., Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhouri, Tehran 1316814737, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Minister of Intelligence
Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejeie
Ministry of Intelligence, Second Negarestan Street, Pasdaran Avenue, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
COPIES TO:
President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 6 649 5880
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
via website: http://www.president.ir/email/
Director, Human Rights Headquarters of Iran
Mohammad Javad Larijani
C/o Office of the Deputy for International Affairs
Ministry of Justice,
Ministry of Justice Building, Panzdah-Khordad (Ark) Square,
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax: + 98 21 5 537 8827 (please keep trying)
and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.
