At least 66 execution in Iran's death penalty in January - UN says

[News_Editor]

At least 66 execution in Iran's death penalty in January - UN says

2011-02-03 12:08:13 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- With at least 66 people having been executed in Iran in January alone, including several political activists, the United Nations (UN) human rights chief on Wednesday voiced alarm and once again called on the Government to halt the use of the death penalty.

The majority of executions were reportedly carried out in relation to drug offenses, but at least three political prisoners were among those hanged, according to a news release issued by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

"We have urged Iran, time and again, to halt executions," said High Commissioner Navi Pillay. "I am very dismayed that instead of heeding our calls, the Iranian authorities appear to have stepped up the use of the death penalty."

There are at least three known cases in which political activists were executed. Jafar Kazemi, Mohammad Ali Haj Aqaei and another man whose name was not disclosed were affiliated with banned political parties. Kazemi and Aqaei were arrested in September 2009 during protests.

All three individuals were convicted of mohareb or "enmity against God," and hanged last month.

"Dissent is not a crime," Pillay underlined, recalling that Iran is party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to free expression and to free association.

"It is absolutely unacceptable for individuals to be imprisoned for association with opposition groups, let alone be executed for their political views or affiliations," Pillay added.

The UN human rights chief also condemned the two instances in which public executions were held, despite a circular issued in January 2008 by the head of the judiciary that banned public executions.

In addition, Pillay voiced deep concern that a large number of people reportedly remain on death row, including more political prisoners, drug offenders and even juvenile offenders.

"As Iran is no doubt aware, the international community as a whole is moving towards abolition of the death penalty in law or in practice. I call upon Iran to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty," Pillay stressed.

"At a minimum, I call upon them to respect international standards guaranteeing due process and the protection of the rights of those facing the death penalty, to progressively restrict its use and reduce the number of offenses for which it may be imposed."

Two independent UN human rights experts have also joined the High Commissioner's call for an immediate moratorium on executions, given the "gravity of the situation and the regular disregard of due process."

Christof Heyns, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, noted in a news release that, under international law, the death penalty is regarded as an extreme form of punishment which, if used at all, should only be imposed for the most serious crimes, after a fair trial.

"Any death sentence undertaken in contravention of a Government's international obligations is tantamount to an arbitrary execution," Heyns stated.

Furthermore, Gabriela Knaul, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, deplored that "in many cases, people sentenced to death do not have access to legal representation and their families and lawyers are not even informed of the execution."

The Special Rapporteurs reiterated the appeals made to the Iranian authorities by several UN experts to allow them to visit the country, and encouraged the Government to respond positively to their request.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-02-03

[happyrobert]

Well done.

Only 72,903,847 to go.

[geriatrickid]

ouch.

[Ulysses G.]

Where are the posts from all the sensitive souls who are always accusing the USA and Israel of being so evil?

[mark45y]

Where are the posts from all the sensitive souls who are always accusing the USA and Israel of being so evil?

Involved in a raging debate about raising the marriage age in Spain to 16. I think they want it to stay at 14 but I'm not sure.

[transam]

Supposed to be THE only religion yet they kill their own and others for minor stuff, even the innocent. Is any government/religion taken seriously when they deny the holocaust happened and condone indiscriminate killing. They belong in tents.

[LaoPo]

Where are the posts from all the sensitive souls who are always accusing the USA and Israel of being so evil?

Involved in a raging debate about raising the marriage age in Spain to 16. I think they want it to stay at 14 but I'm not sure.

....need new glasses Mr. Whippersnapper or too tired to read properly ?

It seems that my tail is appealing....to step on, isn't it...?..I saw you reading that topic but not good enough, so it seems...othwerwise you wouldn't have written your comment that it is a raging debate; it isn't

It's a civilized topic.

For the record:

I too find the Iran regime contemptible and the only reason they execute so many people is to scare their own population since they're scared to death that the people of Iran rise -again- to it's terrible regime.

But, of course that has nothing to do with Israel nor the U.S. other than that they're (the regime) afraid for their influence and powers, and they should be.

LaoPo

[chuckd]

For the record:

I too find the Iran regime contemptible and the only reason they execute so many people is to scare their own population since they're scared to death that the people of Iran rise -again- to it's terrible regime.

LaoPo

Would you care to back up your conjecture about the only reason Iran executes their prisoners?

[LaoPo]

For the record:

I too find the Iran regime contemptible and the only reason they execute so many people is to scare their own population since they're scared to death that the people of Iran rise -again- to it's terrible regime.

LaoPo

Would you care to back up your conjecture about the only reason Iran executes their prisoners?

..didn't you read the news coming also from the UN?

Iran executed already 3 times more people in 2011 (just one month) than in the same period of 2010.

66 people wre executed in January alone versus 300 in the whole of 2010.

http://news.kodoom.c.../story/1565280/

EDIT:

The number of executions differ and some media report even a much higher number of executions:

http://en.irangreenvoice.com/article/2011/jan/24/2686

LaoPo

Edited February 3, 2011 by LaoPo

[mark45y]

Where are the posts from all the sensitive souls who are always accusing the USA and Israel of being so evil?

Involved in a raging debate about raising the marriage age in Spain to 16. I think they want it to stay at 14 but I'm not sure.

....need new glasses Mr. Whippersnapper or too tired to read properly ?

It seems that my tail is appealing....to step on, isn't it...?..I saw you reading that topic but not good enough, so it seems...othwerwise you wouldn't have written your comment that it is a raging debate; it isn't

It's a civilized topic.

For the record:

I too find the Iran regime contemptible and the only reason they execute so many people is to scare their own population since they're scared to death that the people of Iran rise -again- to it's terrible regime.

But, of course that has nothing to do with Israel nor the U.S. other than that they're (the regime) afraid for their influence and powers, and they should be.

LaoPo

Apparently they are trying to scare the Dutch too.

[chuckd]

For the record:

I too find the Iran regime contemptible and the only reason they execute so many people is to scare their own population since they're scared to death that the people of Iran rise -again- to it's terrible regime.

LaoPo

Would you care to back up your conjecture about the only reason Iran executes their prisoners?

..didn't you read the news coming also from the UN?

Iran executed already 3 times more people in 2011 (just one month) than in the same period of 2010.

66 people wre executed in January alone versus 300 in the whole of 2010.

http://news.kodoom.c.../story/1565280/

EDIT:

The number of executions differ and some media report even a much higher number of executions:

http://en.irangreenvoice.com/article/2011/jan/24/2686

LaoPo

Let me put the question to you in another way. On what are you basing your opinion that the Iranian government is executing people in order to scare their citizens? Is this the only method they have for scaring their citizens? If they are doing it to scare their citizens, why have they recently enacted legislation to make the executions private?

Just forget it if my question is too difficult.

[LaoPo]

Where are the posts from all the sensitive souls who are always accusing the USA and Israel of being so evil?

Involved in a raging debate about raising the marriage age in Spain to 16. I think they want it to stay at 14 but I'm not sure.

....need new glasses Mr. Whippersnapper or too tired to read properly ?

It seems that my tail is appealing....to step on, isn't it...?..I saw you reading that topic but not good enough, so it seems...othwerwise you wouldn't have written your comment that it is a raging debate; it isn't

It's a civilized topic.

For the record:

I too find the Iran regime contemptible and the only reason they execute so many people is to scare their own population since they're scared to death that the people of Iran rise -again- to it's terrible regime.

But, of course that has nothing to do with Israel nor the U.S. other than that they're (the regime) afraid for their influence and powers, and they should be.

LaoPo

Apparently they are trying to scare the Dutch too.

Yes, they did and hanged a Dutch-Iranian woman (2 passports) last Saturday who was accused of many things, incuding drugs (which allegations were added later after the authorities "found" drugs in her house..) and she "confessed" EVERYTHING under enormous pressure of her interrogators.

Initially she was arrested after she attended a demonstration in Iran; the drugs case was added at a later stage.

The Netherlands' Foreign Affairs Minister was assured by the Iranian government that the woman was OK and that negotations about her well being and trial were still ongoing (since Iranian authorities assured the Dutch that an appeal in her case was granted and the Dutch government paid for 2 lawyers to defend her), but a day later the message came out that "according to Iranian Law" she was hanged.

Other sources speak that she died after she was tortured.

Under "normal" circumstances, the executed bodies of "prisoners" are given back to the various families.

If that will happen in this case is not known (yet) but 7 days after she was "hanged" the authorities still didn't give the body to the family for proper burial in order to pay their last respect to the mother and relative.

Note: the Lady Lawyer who defended her was also arrested (September 2010) and the message just came out that she was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

LaoPo