UN, EU condemn Iran’s execution of young offender

ANKARA

The UN and EU on Thursday condemned Iran’s execution of a man for a crime he committed when he was 16, 12 years ago.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet “strongly condemns the killing of Mohammad Hassan Rezaiee,” a statement from her office said.

“The UN has repeatedly urged Iran to cease the appalling practice of executing child offenders,” it added.

“There are deeply troubling allegations that forced confessions extracted through torture were used in the conviction of Mr. Rezaiee, and there are numerous other serious concerns about violations of his fair trial rights,” the statement said.

The UN also called on Iran to halt all executions of child offenders and “immediately review their cases in line with international human rights law.”

The statement said at least 80 child offenders remain in prisons in the country “on death row.”

The EU also called on Iran to work for abolition of capital punishment and refrain from any future execution.

“The European Union condemns this execution in the strongest terms and recalls yet again that the death sentences for crimes committed by persons below the age of eighteen are contrary to international obligations under the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child,” EU spokesperson Peter Stano said in a statment.

EU also said it is against the capital punishment in all circumstances and “death penalty fails to act as a deterrent to crime and represents an unacceptable denial of human dignity and integrity.”