Monday, April 20, 2009

Protest against woman's execution in Iran

Monday, 20 Apr 2009 08:

Protest against child's execution in Iran Amnesty International is organising a demonstration to protest against the planned execution of a young woman in Iran.Delara Darabi, 22, was sentenced to death in 2005 after her then boyfriend Amir Hossein murdered a woman two years previously. The humanitarian group claims Ms Darabi, who was present when the murder took place, confessed to the murder after Mr Hossein asked her to take the blame on his behalf to save him from execution. It is suggested the couple believed the fact that Ms Darabi was only 17 would spare her the death penalty but the Iranian court still ordered she be executed.She has since retracted her confession but the sentence stands and some reports suggest she could be executed early next week. But Amnesty says the sentence contravenes international law as Ms Darabi was a minor at the time of the murder in 2003.Tim Hancock, campaigns director for Amnesty International UK, said: "Delara Darabi should not be executed. She was only a child at the time of her alleged offence."Iran is bound by international law not to execute child offenders yet it continues to do so, leaving the country increasingly isolated as other states abandon this appalling practice."In the past, Iran has commuted death sentences after an international outcry, so we hope our campaign could really make a difference. We’re urging people to take action online and come to the embassy, to help us try to stop Delara’s execution."Amnesty claims Iran has executed 42 child offenders in the past 20 years, most recently in January this year.The protest will take place at 09:00 BST on Monday, outside the Iranian embassy in Princes Gate, London.
© 2009 www.InTheNews.co.uk

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