Iranian authorities react to IHR’s report on a teen

ran Human Rights, May 28: Iran Human Rights (IHR) had published a report on May 26th regarding the public execution of "Mehdi Faraji" in Qazvin titled: "Young boy was used to carry out execution of a man in public in Iran". The information was based on eyewitness reports who said, "A young boy was used to draw the chair Mehdi was standing on and carry out the execution."

In the statement, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of Iran Human Rights strongly condemned the execution and said, "These barbaric executions and using ordinary citizens, especially minors, to carry out the executions must be condemned by the world community." He added, "Iranian leaders must be held accountable for promoting a culture of murder and brutality in Iran".

In reaction to IHR’s report, a site close to the Iranian authorities known as Ebrat News revealed more details about the execution in Qazvin. According to the site, the young man who carried out the execution was identified as Ali, 23, the son of Kimia, one of the women allegedly murdered by Mehdi. Ebrat News wrote: "The man was not a minor as claimed by some sites...so-called human rights defenders have forgotten that, according to the qesas (retribution/eye-for-an-eye) law in a murder case [in Iran], the execution must be carried out by the family or the oldest child of the offended".

"The age of the young man used to carry out the execution does not change the fundamental issues surrounding the case. In addition to the main issue of execution, it is very serious that Iranian authorities use ordinary citizens to carry out inhumane punishments. By doing so, Iranian authorities place tremendous responsibility on the shoulders of its citizens. In this case, a young man who is grieving the loss of his mother has to also now have the responsibility of death on his shoulders. This is shameful and disgusting,"said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the international spokesperson of IHR.

"The young man’s mother was a victim of the growing violence and brutality in the Iranian society. Iranian authorities promote brutality by practicing brutal punishments in public," he added.

Commenting the retribution law (an eye for an eye), Amiry-Moghaddam, said: ""Amiry-Moghaddam said about the retribution ’eye-for-an-eye’ law, "Retribution is one of the few ’rights’ given by Iranian authorities to its citizens. The Iranian government deprives its citizens of basic human rights like, freedom of speech, thought, and choice, and even personal rights like how to dress, but the ’rights’ of citizens to carry out executions or blind with acid are insisted on and encouraged."