Maryam Nayeb Yazdi

Based on news reports, *Shahla Jahed is due to be executed on Wednesday, December 8th. Her lawyer Abdolsamad Khoramshahi confirmed that her sentence was upheld and finalized by branch 8 of the Supreme Court.

Shahla Jahed is undoubtedly one of the most well-known Iranian women to face execution; however, her name is not mentioned in human rights and media campaigns. The usual sensitivity that surrounds death penalty cases, and in particular women executions in recent years, is [significantly less] in her case. The answer to this issue, aside from the personal aspects of the case, will shed light on the challenges and shortcomings of human rights activities and the approach of the opposition forces.

Her case is one of the most important judicial and criminal cases of the last decade which [still] has not been concluded after eight years. The poor and slow performance of the judicial system and the police and security forces from the outset of this suspicious murder, and their evasion to disclose the details of the case has raised a lot of doubt. Additionally, extremist judicial and security forces, who are [usually] involved in the political suppression and crackdown process in Iran, had a presence throughout various phases of this [ordeal], indicating that the case is highly sensitive from a security perspective.

The coverage of the case has added public interest. [But] why have human rights groups and social-political dissidents opted to be explicitly silent in the face of her [imminent] execution? All we have to do is compare her case to Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s to expose the extent of the double standard approach. Perhaps some would respond that since it is certain that Shahla Jahed is a murderer, there is no reason to protest.

Even if we assume that she actually is the killer, it is the existence of the death penalty that is the subject of protest by small and large human rights organizations, both in Iran and internationally. More than 85% of the people who are executed in Iran are dangerous criminals like drug smugglers, armed robbers, murderers, and thugs. Nevertheless [and regardless of the nature of these crimes], the large number of executions in Iran compared to other countries is one of the main arguments made when accusing the Islamic Republic of human rights violations. The [alleged] act by Shahla Jahed is no less debased than the cases [in which we condemn the Islamic Republic of violating human rights by carrying out the death penalty] .

If we examine the course of the events that took place in Shahla Jahed’s case, many doubts and ambiguities arise that question the veracity of her conviction. The first point that will be made is about the uncharacteristically lengthy process of bringing this controversial case to trial and providing it a conclusion.

Translation by  Siavosh Jalili | Edited by Maryam Nayeb Yazdi

Continue to Read | Part 2: The Judicial Roller Coaster: //persian2english.com/?p=16849