Iran: Amnesty welcomes postponement of child offender's execution

Amnesty International today (5 October) welcomed a move by the Iranian authorities to postpone the execution of an Afghan national accused of committing a murder while still a child.

Abbas Hosseini was set to be executed today, but judicial authorities in the city of Mashhad reportedly agreed to the postponement to allow more time to persuade the victim’s family to accept financial compensation in return for settling the case.

No new date for the execution is known to have been set yet.

Amnesty International urges the Iranian authorities to review his sentence so that he no longer faces the death penalty. As he was under 18 at the time of the alleged crime, his execution is strictly prohibited under international law.

Abbas Hosseini was sentenced to death in June 2004 for the murder of a man whom he said had tried to rape him in July 2003.

ENDS

Amnesty International UK media information:

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