Iran: Young Man Executed for Alleged Sex Crime
6/11/2007
IRanian Queer Organization – IRQO
Formerly Persian Gay & Lesbian Organization – PGLO
www.irqo.net
(New York, Wednesday December 5, 2007) - The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) has learned today that despite an order by the Iranian Chief Justice to nullify his death sentence, Mr. Makvan Mouloodzadeh was executed in Kermanshah Central Prison at 5 a.m. this morning, Iranian time. Neither Mr. Mouloodzadeh's family or his lawyer were told about the execution until after it occurred. IGLHRC is still investigating the facts in this case.
"This is a shameful and
outrageous travesty of justice and
international human rights law," said Paula Ettelbrick, IGLHRC's executive
director. "How many more young Iranians have to die before the international
community takes action?" Mr. Mouloodzadeh was a 21-year-old Iranian citizen
who was accused of committing anal rape (ighab) with other young boys when
he was 13 years old.
However, at Mr. Mouloodzadeh's trial, all the witnesses retracted their pre-trial testimonies, claiming to have lied to the authorities under duress. Makvan also told the court that his confession was made under coercion and pleaded not guilty.
On June 7, 2007, the
Seventh District Criminal Court of Kermanshah in Western Iran found him
guilty and sentenced him to death. Despite his lawyer's appeal, the Supreme
Court upheld his death sentence on August 1, 2007. The case caused an
international uproar, and prompted a letter writing campaign by IGLHRC and
similar actions by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Outrage! and
Everyone Group.
In response to mounting public pressure, and following a detailed petition
submitted to the Iranian Chief Justice by Mr. Mouloodzadeh's lawyer, the
Iranian Chief Justice, Ayatollah Seyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahrudi, nullified
the impending death sentence of Mr. Mouloodzadeh.
In his November 10, 2007 opinion (1/86/8607), the Iranian Chief Justice described the death sentence to be in violation of Islamic teachings, the religious decrees of high-ranking Shiite clerics, and the law of the land. In accordance with Iranian legal procedure, Mr. Mouloodzadeh's case was sent to the Special Supervision Bureau of the Iranian Justice Department, a designated group of judges who are responsible for reviewing and ordering retrials of flawed cases flagged by the Iranian Chief Justice.
However, in defiance of
the Chief Justice, the judges decided to ratify the original court's ruling
and ordered the local authorities to carry out the execution. Mr.
Mouloodzadeh's execution came days after a panel
at the UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for a moratorium on
the death penalty.
You can read IGLHRC's action alert on our website:
http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/section.php?id=5&detail=797
You can read Human Rights Watch press released on:
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2007/12/05/iran17482.htm
HRW press released in Persian:
http://hrw.org/persian/docs/2007/12/05/iran17485.htm
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