![](\"https:\/\/www.ncr-iran.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2012\/06\/exacution.gif\" "\\"exacution\\"")
GENEVA (28 June 2012) – Three United Nations Special Rapporteurs* on Iran\u060c summary executions and torture condemned the recent execution of four members of the Ahwazi Arab minority in Ahwaz\u2019s Karoun Prison in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Following a reportedly unfair trial\u060c they were sentenced to death and executed on or around 19 June 2012.<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the lack of transparency in court proceedings\u060c major concerns remain about due process and fairness of trials in cases involving the death penalty in Iran\u060c\u201d said the independent human rights experts\u060c recalling the execution of Abdul Rahman Heidarian\u060c Abbas Heidarian\u060c Taha Heidarian and Ali Sharif. The four men\u060c three of whom are brothers\u060c were reportedly arrested in April 2011 during a protest in Khuzestan and convicted of Moharebeh (enmity against God) and Fasad-fil Arz (corruption on earth). \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" GENEVA (28 June 2012) – Three United Nations Special Rapporteurs* on Iran، summary executions and torture condemned the recent execution of four members of the Ahwazi Arab minority in Ahwaz’s Karoun Prison in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Following a reportedly unfair trial، they were sentenced to death and executed on or around 19 June […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":38898,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[175],"class_list":["post-12058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-human-rights","tag-updated"],"yoast_head":"\n
\u201cUnder international law\u060c the death penalty is the most extreme form of punishment\u060c which\u060c if it is used at all\u060c should be imposed only for the most serious crimes\u060c\u201d they said. \u201cDefendants in death penalty cases should also receive fair trial guarantees stipulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights\u060c ratified by Iran in 1975.\u201d
\u201cAny death sentence undertaken in contravention of those international obligations is tantamount to an arbitrary execution\u060c\u201d the three UN Special Rapporteurs stressed.
The rights experts noted with concern the high numbers of executions carried out in public\u060c despite a circular issued in January 2008 by the Iranian Chief Justice that banned public executions. At least 25 executions have been carried out in public this year.
\u201cExecutions in public add to the already cruel\u060c inhuman and degrading nature of the death penalty and can only have a dehumanizing effect on the victim and a brutalizing effect on those who witness the execution\u060c\u201d the independent experts underscored.
The Special Rapporteurs regretted that the authorities continue to apply the death penalty with alarming frequency\u060c despite numerous calls to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to establish a moratorium on executions. At least 140 executions are known to have been carried out since the beginning of 2012\u060c with some sources indicating the figure to be as high as 220. The majority of these are for drug-related offences\u060c which the experts do not believe constitute the ‘most serious crimes’ as required by international law.
The UN independent experts urged the Iranian authorities \u201cto halt immediately the imposition of the death penalty for crimes which do not constitute the most serious crimes\u060c as well as ensure stringent respect for fair trial guarantees.\u201d
(*) The Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran\u060c Ahmed Shaheed; the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial\u060c summary or arbitrary executions\u060c Christof Heyns; and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel\u060c inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment\u060c Juan E. M\u00e9ndez.
ENDS
Link: http:\/\/www.ohchr.org\/en\/NewsEvents\/Pages\/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=12301&LangID=E<\/a>
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