urgent action necessary

[Wonderwoman]

just found this while browsing on the German Amnesty International website

 

I´m sorry it´s just German but I will try to translate:

 

 

TODESSTRAFE / DROHENDE HINRICHTUNG

 

Iran:

 

Makwan Moloudzadeh, 21 Jahre alt

 

Der iranische Kurde Makwan Moloudzadeh ist nach vorliegenden Informationen in unmittelbarer Gefahr, hingerichtet zu werden. Wie es heißt, wurde er schuldig gesprochen, bei der mutmaßlichen Vergewaltigung eines 13-jährigen Jungen Analverkehr (lavat-e iqabi) praktiziert zu haben. Makwan Moloudzadeh war zum Zeitpunkt der ihm zur Last gelegten Tat 13 Jahre alt. Das gegen ihn verhängte Todesurteil ist an das Amt für den Strafvollzug weitergeleitet worden. Er soll öffentlich in der Nähe seines Elternhauses hingerichtet werden.

 

Berichten zufolge war Makwan Moloudzadeh am 1. Oktober 2006 in Paveh in der Provinz Kermanshah festgenommen worden. Er wurde dann zunächst im Gefängnis von Paveh festgehalten und später ins Zentralgefängnis von Kermanshah verlegt. Nach den Verhören in Paveh, bei denen er misshandelt worden sein soll, fand das Gerichtsverfahren gegen ihn vor der Abteilung 1 des Strafgerichtsgerichts von Kermanshah statt. Am 7. Juni 2007 verurteilte dieses Gericht ihn zum Tode. Sowohl die Zeugen als auch die beiden Personen, die Anzeige gegen ihn erstattet hatten, zogen ihre Angaben nach dem Gerichtsverfahren zurück. Das iranische Gesetz sieht im Fall von Kindern (Jungen bis 14,7 Jahre) die Prügelstrafe für homosexuelle Handlungen (lavat) vor.

 

Der Richter berief sich jedoch auf das Prinzip „Kenntnis des Richters“ (’elm-e qazi) und stellte fest, dass es zur Penetration gekommen sei und Makwan Moloudzadeh somit zum Tode verurteilt werden könnte. Der Verurteilte legte daraufhin am 5. Juli 2007 Rechtsmittel gegen das Todesurteil ein, welches das Oberste Gericht des Landes jedoch am 1. August 2007 zurückwies. Mehrere Zeugen haben inzwischen in beglaubigten Schriftstücken ihre Aussagen zurückgezogen. Während des Gerichtsverfahrens beteuerte Makwan Moloudzadeh seine Unschuld. Zuvor soll er jedoch während der Verhöre unter Misshandlungen „gestanden“ haben, im Jahr 1999 eine homosexuelle Beziehung mit einem Jungen gehabt zu haben. Er trat nach vorliegenden Informationen in einen zehntägigen Hungerstreik, um gegen seine Misshandlung in der Haft zu protestieren. Vor dem Gerichtsverfahren war Makwan Moloudzadeh etwa am 7. Oktober 2006 in Paveh der Öffentlichkeit vorgeführt worden und musste mit geschorenen Kopf auf einem Esel reiten. Die Bewohner der Stadt verhöhnten ihn dabei und warfen mit Gegenständen nach ihm.

 

Paragraph 1210 (1) des iranischen Zivilgesetzbuches setzt das Strafmündigkeitsalter bei Jungen auf 15 Mondjahre, bei Mädchen auf neun Mondjahre fest. Makwan Moloudzadeh wurde nach vorliegenden Informationen am 31. März 1986 geboren und war zum Zeitpunkt der mutmaßlichen Tat 13 Jahre alt, also nach iranischem Recht minderjährig. Paragraph 49 des iranischen Strafgesetzbuches legt fest, dass Kinder, die eine Straftat begangen haben, von der strafrechtlichen Verfolgung ausgenommen sind. Die Entscheidung über mögliche Sanktionen obliegt laut iranischem Strafgesetzbuch den Erziehungsberechtigten, beziehungsweise im Falle einer Gerichtsentscheidung erfolgt eine Einweisung in eine Jugendstrafanstalt. Der Richter hat sich in diesem Fall mit seiner Berufung auf das Prinzip „Kenntnis des Richters“ über Paragraph 113 des iranischen Strafgesetzbuches hinweggesetzt, in dem es heißt: „Wenn ein Minderjähriger Analverkehr mit einem Minderjährigen hat, wird jeder mit 74 Schlägen bestraft, es sei denn, einer der Beteiligten, wurde zu der Handlung gezwungen [in diesem Fall wird diese Person nicht bestraft]“.

 

HINTERGRUNDINFORMATIONEN

 

Das Völkerecht verbietet die Anwendung der Todesstrafe gegen Personen, die zum Zeitpunkt der ihnen zur Last gelegten Tat das 18. Lebensjahr noch nicht vollendet haben. Der UN-Ausschuss über die Rechte des Kindes hat sich mehrfach besorgt darüber geäußert, dass im Iran über die Strafmündigkeit von jugendlichen Straftätern von Richtern entschieden wird, wobei subjektive und willkürliche Kriterien zugrunde gelegt werden, wie das Erreichen der Pubertät, das Alter der Urteilsfähigkeit oder die Persönlichkeit des Kindes. Als Vertragsstaat des Internationalen Pakts über bürgerliche und politische Rechte sowie des UN-Übereinkommens über die Rechte des Kindes hat sich der Iran dazu verpflichtet, keine minderjährigen Straftäter hinzurichten. Trotzdem sind seit 1990 im Iran mindestens 24 Personen wegen Straftaten exekutiert worden, die sie im Alter von unter 18 Jahren begangen hatten. Zwei weitere zur Tatzeit Minderjährige sollen am 17. Oktober 2007 hingerichtet worden sein. Derzeit befinden sich mindestens 78 minderjährige Straftäter im Iran im Todestrakt (siehe auch ai-Bericht „Iran: The last executioner of children“, MDE 13/059/2007, Juni 2007).

 

EMPFOHLENE AKTIONEN: Schreiben Sie bitte E-Mails oder Luftpostbriefe, in denen Sie

 

* an die oberste Justizautorität des Iran appellieren, den Obersten Gerichtshof aufzufordern, den Fall von Makwan Moloudzadeh zu überprüfen, da er zum Zeitpunkt der ihm zur Last gelegten Tat nach iranischem Recht minderjährig war;

 

* sich angesichts der Berichte besorgt zeigen, denen zufolge das Gerichtsverfahren gegen Makwan Moloudzadeh nicht den internationalen Standards für einen fairen Prozess entsprach und der Richter sich auf subjektive und willkürliche Kriterien im Hinblick auf die Strafmündigkeit des Angeklagten berufen haben könnte, was einen Verstoß gegen das UN-Übereinkommen über die Rechte des Kindes darstellt;

 

* darlegen, dass im Berufungsverfahren offenbar nicht berücksichtigt wurde, dass mehrere Zeugen ihre Aussagen zurückgezogen haben;

 

* Ihre Befürchtung zum Ausdruck bringen, dass Makwan Moloudzadeh wegen einer Straftat hingerichtet werden könnte, die er im Alter von unter 18 Jahren begangen hat;

 

* die Behörden auffordern, die Hinrichtung sofort zu stoppen und das Todesurteil umzuwandeln;

 

* die Behörden an ihre Verpflichtung als Mitgliedsstaat des Internationalen Pakts über bürgerliche und politische Rechte sowie des UN-Übereinkommens über die Rechte des Kindes erinnern, welche die Anwendung der Todesstrafe bei minderjährigen Straftätern verbieten;

 

* die iranischen Behörden auffordern, die Todesstrafe für Personen abzuschaffen, die Straftaten vor Vollendung des 18. Lebensjahres begangen haben, um so die Rechtsprechung des Landes mit dessen völkerrechtlichen Verpflichtungen in Einklang zu bringen;

 

* darlegen, dass amnesty international das Recht und die Verantwortung von Regierungen anerkennt, mutmaßliche Straftäter vor Gericht zu stellen, aber gleichzeitig die Todesstrafe vorbehaltlos ablehnt, da sie eine Verletzung des Rechts auf Leben (des fundamentalsten Menschenrechts) und des Rechts, keiner grausamen, unmenschlichen oder erniedrigenden Behandlung oder Strafe unterworfen zu werden, darstellt.

 

APPELLE AN:

 

His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed 'Ali Khamenei, Leader of the Islamic Republic, The Office of the Supreme Leader, Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street, Tehran, IRAN

(Religionsführer - korrekte englische Anrede: Your Excellency)

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi-Shahroudi, Head of the Judiciary, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Justice Building, Panzdah-Khordad Square, Tehran, IRAN

(oberste Justizautorität - korrekte Anrede: Your Excellency)

E-Mail: [email protected] („FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi“)

 

KOPIEN AN:

 

His Excellency Gholamali Haddad Adel, Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami, Baharestan Square, Tehran, IRAN (Parlamentssprecher)

E-Mail: [email protected]

 

Kermanshah Central Prison, Street Number 101, Deisel Abad, Kermanshah, IRAN (Gefängnisdirektor)

E-Mail: [email protected]; [email protected] - Telefax: (00 98) 831 826 2049

 

Botschaft der Islamischen Republik Iran, S.E. Herrn Mohammad Mehdi Akhondzadeh Basti

Podbielskiallee 65-67, 14195 Berlin - Telefax: 030-8435 3535 - E-Mail: [email protected]

 

Bitte schreiben Sie Ihre Appelle möglichst sofort. Schreiben Sie in in gutem Persisch, Englisch, Französisch oder auf Deutsch. Da Informationen in Urgent Actions schnell an Aktualität verlieren können, bitten wir Sie, nach dem 7. Dezember 2007 keine Appelle mehr zu verschicken.

 

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English or your own language:

- calling on the Head of the Judiciary to urge the Supreme Court to review the case of Makwan Moloudzadeh who was a child at the time of his alleged offence under Iran’s Civil and Penal Codes;

- expressing concern that Makwan Moloudzadeh may have faced an unfair trial in which a judge relied on subjective and arbitrary criteria in contravention to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and that the appeal appears to have ignored the retraction of testimony made by witnesses;

- expressing concern that Makwan Moloudzadeh is at risk of execution for a crime committed when he was under 18, and calling on the authorities to halt his execution immediately and commute his death sentence;

- reminding the authorities that Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibit the use of the death penalty against people convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18, so executing Makwan Moloudzadeh would be a violation of international law;

- urging the authorities to abolish the death penalty for offences committed by anyone under the age of 18, so as to bring Iran’s domestic law into line with its obligations under international law;

- stating that Amnesty International acknowledges the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offences, but opposes the death penalty unconditionally.

 

 

The article says that a 21 year old Kurdish Iranian has been condemn to death and his execution wil take place within days. He was arrested for allegedly having anal intercourse with another boy when both had been 13 years old.

Even under Iranian law kids under 14 can´t be sentenced, but teh judge used some strange Islamic reason for condemning him still.

His appeal had been rejected and now he can he executed any time at a site close to his home in the public.

AI asks all people that are as shocked as them and me to write to the Iranain authorities and tell them to stop this illegal act!

 

Please do the same, even so you are not from Germany, you can still write to any of those persons mentioned in the text or any other Iranian official residing in your country.

 

 

 

 

Sorry for spoiling the fun, but this shows that there is still so much to be done in this world to make it a better place for all of us.

Thanks for listening

Wonderwoman

[clarkejones605]

That is just disgusting. The way people twist religion around for their own personal uses (well, that is how religious leaders started many thousands of years ago!).

 

Wouldn't it be interesting to be able to scrutinize that judge's entire past with a fine tooth comb and find something that could be interpretted as wrong or evil based on religious teachings?

[briangood]

Thank you WW for bringing it to our attention.

 

I have found the english version. For anyone who want to help save Makwan Moloudzadeh, please act as quick as possible.

 

http://www.irqo.net/IRQO/English/pages/100.htm

 

 

PUBLIC - Amnesty International Index: MDE 13/125/2007

 

26 October 2007

 

UA 278/07 Death penalty/imminent execution

 

IRAN - Makwan Moloudzadeh (m), aged 21, child offender

 

Child offender Makwan Moloudzadeh, an Iranian Kurd, is believed to be at risk of imminent execution. He has reportedly been convicted of lavat-e iqabi (anal sex) for the alleged rape of a 13-year-old boy. Makwan Moloudzadeh was aged 13 at the time of the alleged offence. His death sentence has been passed to the Office for the Implementation of Sentences and he is due to be executed in public, near his home.

 

He was reportedly arrested on 1 October 2006 in Paveh, in the western province of Kermanshah. He was detained in Paveh Prison and later transferred to Kermanshah Central Prison. Following interrogations in Paveh during which he was reportedly ill-treated, he was tried by Branch 1 of the Kermanshah Criminal Court and on 7 June 2007 he was sentenced to death. The witnesses and the two people who had pressed charges against him withdrew their claims after the trial. Under Iranian law, children (boys of up to 14.7 years) are to be flogged for lavat ("homosexual acts").

 

However, the judge relied on ‘elm-e qazi, the "knowledge of the judge" to determine that penetration had taken place and that Makwan Moloudzadeh could be sentenced to death. Makwan Moloudzadeh lodged an appeal on 5 July, which the Supreme Court rejected on 1 August. Several witnesses have withdrawn their testimonies and signed notarized written statements to that effect.

 

During his trial, Makwan Moloudzadeh reportedly maintained his innocence. Previously, however, he was reportedly ill-treated during interrogation and "confessed" during interrogation that he had had a sexual relationship with a boy in 1999. He is reported to have gone on hunger strike for 10 days to protest against his ill-treatment in detention. Following his trial and conviction, on or around 7 October 2006 Makwan Moloudzadeh was reportedly paraded through the streets of Paveh riding on a donkey, with his head shaved. People in the street shouted abuse and threw things at him.

 

Article 1210(1) of Iran’s Civil Code sets the ages of 15 lunar years as the age of criminal responsibility for boys, and nine lunar years for girls. Makwan Moloudzadeh was reportedly born on 31 March 1986 and, at the age of 13, was a minor under Iranian law at the time of the alleged offence. According to Article 49 of Iran’s Penal Code: “Children, if committing an offence, are exempted from criminal responsibility. Their correction is the responsibility of their guardians or, if the court decides, by a centre for correction of minors.â€ÂÂÂ

 

Furthermore, in this case the judge used the customary practice of "judge’s knowledge" to override Article 113 of Iran’s Penal Code which states, “If a minor has anal sex with another minor, each will receive up to 74 lashes unless one of them was forced to do so [in which case he will not be punished].â€ÂÂÂ

 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

International law strictly prohibits the use of the death penalty against people convicted of crimes committed when they were under the age of 18. The Committee on the Rights of the Child has raised concern about child offenders' criminal responsibility being determined by judges, using subjective and arbitrary criteria such as the attainment of puberty, the age of discernment or the personality of the child. As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Iran has undertaken not to execute child offenders. However, since 1990, Iran has executed at least 24 child offenders, with a further two reportedly put to death on 17 October 2007. At least 78 child offenders are on death row in Iran; at least 15 Afghan child offenders are reportedly under sentence of death. For more information about Amnesty International's concerns regarding executions of child offenders in Iran, please see: Iran: The last executioner of children (MDE 13/059/2007, June 2007)

 

http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engmde130592007

 

 

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Persian, Arabic, English or your own language:

 

- calling on the Head of the Judiciary to urge the Supreme Court to review the case of Makwan Moloudzadeh who was a child at the time of his alleged offence under Iran’s Civil and Penal Codes;

 

- expressing concern that Makwan Moloudzadeh may have faced an unfair trial in which a judge relied on subjective and arbitrary criteria in contravention to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and that the appeal appears to have ignored the retraction of testimony made by witnesses;

 

- expressing concern that Makwan Moloudzadeh is at risk of execution for a crime committed when he was under 18, and calling on the authorities to halt his execution immediately and commute his death sentence;

 

- reminding the authorities that Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibit the use of the death penalty against people convicted of crimes committed when they were under 18, so executing Makwan Moloudzadeh would be a violation of international law;

 

- urging the authorities to abolish the death penalty for offences committed by anyone under the age of 18, so as to bring Iran’s domestic law into line with its obligations under international law;

 

- stating that Amnesty International acknowledges the right and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those suspected of criminal offences, but opposes the death penalty unconditionally.

 

 

 

APPEALS TO:

Leader of the Islamic Republic

His Excellency Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei

 

The Office of the Supreme Leader

Islamic Republic Street - Shahid Keshvar Doust Street

Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Email: [email protected]

Salutation: Your Excellency

 

 

 

Head of the Judiciary

 

Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi

 

Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Justice Building, Panzdah-Khordad Square,

 

Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

 

Email: [email protected] (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)

 

Salutation: Your Excellency

 

 

 

COPIES TO:

Speaker of Parliament

 

His Excellency Gholamali Haddad Adel

 

Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami

 

Baharestan Square, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

 

Email: [email protected]

 

Salutation: Your Excellency

 

 

 

Director, Kermanshah Central Prison

 

Kermanshah Central Prison

 

Street Number 101, Deisel Abad, Kermanshah, Iran

 

Email: [email protected]

 

[email protected]

 

Fax: +98 831 826 2049 (difficult to get through, please try three times)

 

Salutation: Dear Sir

 

 

 

and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.

 

 

 

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 7 December 2007.

[Wonderwoman]

thanks Brian for finding it in English

 

sorry if I may step on some people´s toes, but that country is not even in the middle ages yet ...

it makes me so angry reading this and we all can only assume that this is just the peak of the iceberg and there are so many more cases like that we never will hear of.

I think this is the result when you mix religion with law.

May this be a warning to other countries that want to do the same mistake!

 

:ww:

[jeterman]

QUOTE(Wonderwoman @ Nov 4 2007, 12:47 AM) 123354" target="_blank[/snapback]

thanks Brian for finding it in English

sorry if I may step on some people´s toes, but that country is not even in the middle ages yet ...

:ww:[/b]

I see--so insulting an entire country is going to help solve the problem--I suppose you wouldnt mind if someone said that Germany was backwards for murdering Jews less than 80 years ago? Let's stick to the issue and not resort to namecalling--your original post was noble--your last post does you no credit.

It is a terrible thing they are doing and I will try to email some of those officials.

[Wonderwoman]

oh for sure it´s ok to call things how they are!

no doubt that not everyone in Iran thinks this is ok, but the fact that he was paraded through the city and people shouted and threw things on him, reminds me really more of the Middle ages where it was common behaviour but not now

 

and no doubt that what had been done in Germany was terrible and if you want it´s ok to call this backward, but this country changed for the better and I can only hope that Iran will do the same.

my problem is only that many people tend to marginalize such crimes against humanity and try to explain it with a different cultural or religious background.

Sorry but for me there is no justification and sometimes things must be called by their names!

 

:ww:

[Chris1547624861]

I'm with Wonderwoman on this. Let's call a spade a spade. Any country where this type of thing is happening is stuck in the Middle Ages and the sooner the rest of us realise this the better!! Let's quit the political correctness bullshit and try to consider how we'd react if it was our lives in threat?

[briangood]

So we have different views on things --- but we have a common goal here --- go get more people to send more appeals.

[Wonderwoman]

yeah for sure we should not squabble with each other here about moral things, when a life is at stake..

let´s hope that some mass-media is taking an interest

I send the link to a big magazine in Germany with the hope that they might make a story, as only then it gets some needed attention

 

:ww:

[ashton]

There are rights & wrongs in life, and everyone of us knows that this is a terrible wrong.

 

Lets not divert the discussion away from the horendous situation here, and whilst there is still hope of putting pressure on the Iranians over this lets simply continue to do just that.

 

There is plenty of time to discuss the other points raised here aside from the main issue at a later date.

 

This boy may not a have a later date, so please take 5 minutes to write an email now.

 

I am doing just that.

[cupboardy]

Hey guys

 

Has anyone had a response to their emails yet?

 

I was wondering if they'd send out a generic 'thank you for your letter' mail

[hager75]

Hey guys

Has anyone had a response to their emails yet?

I was wondering if they'd send out a generic 'thank you for your letter' mail[/b]

I asked that question to all my friends as I had no response. None of them has received a response so far.


:hager75:

[Wonderwoman]

nope no answer

 

honestly I think we got deleted by the staff before the big ones ever read those mails....

 

but only the outcome counts and that is that the boy will not be executed

 

:ww:

[ashton]

QUOTE(cupboardy @ Nov 20 2007, 10:36 PM) 125358" target="_blank[/snapback]

Hey guys

Has anyone had a response to their emails yet?

I was wondering if they'd send out a generic 'thank you for your letter' mail[/b]

Never had a reply or acknowledgement of any kind. Not that i was for one second expecting one mind...

[Clippy]

I wrote and email and sent it to all the necessary parties. I hope this gets to them and something happens.

 

God have mercy.

[ihno]

Yeah, that's simply horrible. Beware of religious fundmentalists!

[Wonderwoman]

Today I got very sad and shocking news about this case,

 

It appears that the boy had been executed yesterday in the prison he was jailed after they made a quick retrial and condemned him again to death.

 

I´m speechless and right now only feel hate and disgust!!

 

:ww:

[ButchBarbie]

this is horrible just horrible that poor boy and now his incredibly sad family....just a tragedy!

 

 

 

:beaver:

[Chris1547624861]

Very sorry to hear this outcome. Iran clearly has a lot of growing up to do.

[hager75]

I'm surprised about those sad news. Must agree with Chris, Iran has a lot of growing up to do

 

 

 

:hager75:

[Guest jlpeixotof]

I guess we havea lot to do before we can say there is no intolerance against

gays in the world we live... it´s sad to know that things like this still happens.

We live in the 21 century and some people still act like animals or even worst...