http://scenews.blog.com/4980285/

http://scenews.blog.com/4938967/

Stop Child Executions has sent the following letter about Delara Darabi to Iran's head of judiciary, Ayatollah Shahrudi asking him to bring those responsible for Delara's illegal execution to justice. 

To prevent repeat of such injustices we must strongly demand accountability for such inhumane actions. 

We ask everyone to also send this or similar demand with your name to the office of Ayatollah Shahrudi and others addresses listed below as soon as possible.  Please also post it on different internet sites and send to your email list and ask to be forwarded. We will also post and send the letter in Persian after translation. 

“In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate”             

                    _{Quote from Quran} 

Your Excellency Ayatollah Shahrudi, the head of Judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran: 

The unexpected news of the execution of Ms. Delara Darabi in the prison of city of Rasht has raised many questions in the minds of the caring citizens of Iran and the world.

Despite your official order for a two month stay of the execution and without any prior notice to her family or attorneys, in the early morning hours of Friday May 1, 2009 Delara Darabi was hanged.

According to official laws of the Islamic Republic, Iranian juveniles convicted to death sentence only after 48 hours official notice to the family and attorneys and only in their presence can be executed; however neither of these requirements was met in the case of Delara Darabi.

Your Excellency Ayatollah Shahrudi:

Presuming that the Islamic Republic despite its official ratifications of the both UN Conventions of the Rights of the Child and the Rights of Prisoners which had also been approved by Iran’s Guardian Council has no obligation in their implementations and can execute those juveniles who have committed a crime before the age of 18:

Presuming that the Islamic Republic of Iran has no obligation to respect the international laws as its own after they have already been approved by the Iranian parliament:

Presuming that it was legal and just that the initial court hearing of Delara Darabi continued its session without the presence of her first attorney:

Presuming that a few hours of court time were sufficient enough to decide the life or death of a young girl:

Presuming that the initial confession that was taken from Delara Darabi was true and a scared 17 year old minor should not have been made aware of her self-incrimination rights and consequences of such confession before obtaining it:

Presuming that the five years that Delara languished in prison, claiming her innocence until the end had no weighted significance:

Presuming that Delara Darabi had no legal appeal rights for reconstruction of the murder scene to establish whether or not this small framed left-handed girl committed the offence or not:

Presuming that Delara Darabi was guilty of murder beyond a reasonable doubt and her 17 years of age had no bearing on the death penalty verdict:

Presuming that your official order as the head of the judiciary to grant a two month stay of execution for Delara Darabi had no significance to the lower judges, prison officials and the executioner in the city of Rasht:

Presuming that the victim’s family insisted on Delara Darabi’s immediate execution the day before she was hung:

Presuming that the numerously repeated words of "merciful and compassionate” in the very beginning of every chapter of the Muslim holy book Quran had no relevance to Delara Darabi’s fate:

Presuming all of the above 11 points:

In accordance to the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran was it not Delara Darabi’s right, for her family and attorney to be given 48 hours official notice before her execution?

And at the very least as a human, a Muslim and an Iranian and according to the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran did Delara Darabi have the right to have her family and attorney present at the time of hanging?

On the day of the hanging of Delara Darabi were the laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran violated or not?

Why is one like Delara held responsible before the law for murder while the others responsible for her illegal execution are not?

Should the written laws of the Islamic Republic of Iran be implemented or are they simply written words that can be violated by anyone with an official title or clothing?

Your Excellency, as the head of the judiciary if you expect Iranians to respect and act according to the written laws and be held responsible when the laws are broken, then also those who were responsible for the illegal execution of Delara Darabi should be brought to justice. 

Respectfully, 

Stop Child Executions

SEND TO:

Head of the Judiciary

Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi

c/o Director, Judiciary Public Relations and Information Office

Ardeshir Sadiq

Judiciary Public Relations and Information Office

No. 57, Pasteur St., corner of Khosh Zaban Avenue

Tehran, Iran

Email:               info@dadiran.ir  (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)

Salutation:        Your Excellency

Judiciary spokesperson

Alireza Jamshidi

Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary

Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri

Tehran 1316814737, Iran

Email:              info@a-jamshidi.ir

Salutation:        Dear Sir

COPIES TO

Leader of the Islamic Republic

Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei, The Office of the Supreme Leader

Islamic Republic Street – End of Shahid Keshvar Doust Street, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran

Email:               info_leader@leader.ir

via website: http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter (English)

http://www.leader.ir/langs/fa/index.php?p=letter (Persian)

Salutation:                           Your Excellency       

Director, Human Rights Headquarters of Iran

Mohammad Javad Larijani

Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary

Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri

Tehran 1316814737, Iran

Fax:                        +98 21 3390 4986 (please keep trying)

Email:                    info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Javad Larijani)

Salutation:          Dear Mr Larijani

and to diplomatic representatives of Iran accredited to your country.

http://scenews.blog.com/4930216/

Source: Amnesty International    6 May 2009

Speaking at a gathering of anti-death penalty protestors outside the Iranian embassy in London today, Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan said:

“The earth on Delara Darabi's grave has not dried yet as the Iranian authorities prepared to execute two more people who, like her, were accused of having committed crimes when they were still under 18. They were granted a one-month stay of execution this morning. This might not save them from the gallows considering that Delara was executed in spite of a stay of execution by the Head of the Judiciary in Iran.

“The Iranian authorities must put an end to capital punishment - this horrific and inhuman punishment denies both the victim and the perpetrator of their humanity.

“While the world has been moving towards a complete abolition of the death penalty, Iran has been steadily imposing and carrying out capital punishment in defiance of the world trend and to calls from its own people to end the death penalty

“Iran is a party to international treaties that forbid the execution of persons for crimes committed before age 18 - regardless of the crime they may have committed, including murder. Iran must respect its international obligations, stop breaching international law and accept that it is wrong to execute those who may have committed crimes when they were underage.

“Children deserve protection and rehabilitation, not death.”

Amnesty supporters were protesting this afternoon at the scheduled execution in Iran earlier today of two people - Amir Khaleqi and Safar Angooti - who faced execution despite having been convicted of offences that occurred when they were below the age of 18. Such executions are prohibited under international law. In the event, both executions were reportedly postponed for a period of a month.

Just last week, however, Delara Darabi, a 22-year-old Iranian woman who had been convicted of a crime she allegedly committed while aged 17, was executed despite a two-month stay in her case. Her execution has sparked international outrage. Today’s event saw Amnesty laying white lilies in remembrance of Delara Darabi at the door of the Iranian embassy. Irene Khan and scores of Amnesty activists were joined by Alistair Carmichael, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Abolition of the Death Penalty.

May 6th 2009: Protest Iran's Illegal Execution of Delara Darabi

Many Stop Child Executions supporters have been asking what they can do to honour Delara's  passing and send a message to the Iranian officials to voice their outrage.
Stop Child Executon's liaison to Amnesty International representative Aubrey Harris had a great idea...

THREE THINGS YOU CAN DO:

1.   SEND A VIRTUAL WHITE ROSE TO THE IRANIAN EMBASSY.
Find an image of a WHITE rose by using Google's Image searching and email it to your Iranian embassy and/or the officials in Iran along with a short message about how you feel of the injustice in Delara's execution.

2.     Make your own CARD OF CONDOLENCE to mail to the Iranian Embassy & authorities. You can use the image of the white rose that Delara drew in her own painting which has been posted on the DP blog at http://www.amnesty.ca/blog_post2.php?id=833 

Copy and paste the image onto a word processing document rotated upside-down and aligned to the top-left corner of the page.  On the bottom-right corner of the page, type in your message (or wait to write it by hand). This should fold into quarters with your image on the front of the card and your message inside.

3.   LEAVE WHITE ROSES AT THE ENTRANCE OF YOUR  LOCAL IRANIAN EMBASSY or consulate on Wednesday 6th of May. This action is being taken around the world.

Here are available contacts for Iran in the action (please keep in mind that a two-month stay of execution had been issued by the Head of the Judiciary only two weeks before Delara's sudden and secretive execution):

Head of the Judiciary:
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
c/o Director, Judiciary Public Relations and Information Office
Ardeshir Sadiq
Judiciary Public Relations and Information Office
No. 57, Pasteur St., corner of Khosh Zaban Avenue
Tehran, Iran
Email:   info@dadiran.ir  (In the subject line write: FAO Ayatollah Shahroudi)
Salutation:  Your Excellency

Judiciary spokesperson:
Alireza Jamshidi
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri
Tehran 1316814737, Iran
Email:  info@a-jamshidi.ir
Salutation:  Dear Sir

Leader of the Islamic Republic:
Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei
The Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street – End of Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email:  info_leader@leader.ir
via website: http://www.leader.ir/langs/en/index.php?p=letter (English)
http://www.leader.ir/langs/fa/index.php?p=letter(Persian)
Salutation:  Your Excellency

Iranian Embassy in Canada:
Mr Bahram Ghasemi
Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy for the Islamic Republic of Iran
245 Metcalfe Street
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 2K2
Fax:   (613) 232-5712
E-mail (Consulate): consulate@salamiran.org
E-mail (Embassy): iranemb@salamiran.org
E-mail (Ambassador): ambassador@iranembassy.org

Director, Human Rights Headquarters of Iran:
Mohammad Javad Larijani
Howzeh Riyasat-e Qoveh Qazaiyeh / Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St, Vali Asr Ave., south of Serah-e Jomhuri
Tehran 1316814737, Iran
Fax:   011 98 21 3390 4986 (difficult to reach)
Email:  info@dadgostary-tehran.ir (In the subject line write: FAO Javad Larijani)
Salutation: Dear Mr Larijani

http://scenews.blog.com/4885252/

Source: http://mohegh.blogfa.com/post-69.aspx



This morning Delara Darabi, who was in custody since she was 17 years old shockingly was executed in Rasht Central prison. The execution of this artist occurred without any prior notice to her. The news is very short but it's frightening. How easily we take someone's life?  How easily we put the ropes on a child’s neck?  How easy we feel the trembling of her small body?

My God this is a crime. My God it is not justice to take the life of this child. My God this is not justice to kill someone who does not deserve to die. Who will answer to this crime in the afterlife?  Is this fair justice? 

On March 24^th 2006 (Fourth of Farvardin 1385) I met her in Rasht prison. I remember she had a very innocent face. She was not a murderer; I swear that she was not a killer. She painted a picture for me of an old man who was playing the violin. I did not know that he was playing her death song. I cannot believe she has been executed. She was really innocent, calm, collected and pure. It was not her time to die, but they took her life. My God please help us.  My God where should we go with all this injustice? My God, My God, My God, why have you created us so cruel?  Why? WhY?     

In Mr. Mostafaei's later post:

"Today is May 1^st 2009 (11 of Ordibehesht 1388), it is a very frightening day. At 9 A.M. I checked my S.M.S. and it was written "Delara executed". My whole body shook. I had no energy to move. Asieh Amini was on the line and was crying and said “they executed Delara today”. I got in my car and told my wife that I am going to Rasht. She said she was coming with me.  I don’t   know how I got to Rasht. Delara's mother was biting herself, her father was talking about how he delivered her daughter to authorities, and everyone was crying, everyone was hitting their head, everyone loved Delara. But she wasn't amongst us anymore. She got her peace today. No one will hear her voice again.

Her mother said that she met Delara in prison yesterday. Delara said “If I come out of prison, I want to continue my education. I would like to be free. One of the judges promised me to obtain forgiveness from the family of the deceased”. Delara continued “Mother I am innocent”.

At 7am Delara’s mother received a phone call from Delara who said “Mom, they want to execute me, I see the gallows, mother save me”. She then asked to talk to her father and said “I want to see you, for God sake save me”. At that point, someone took the phone receiver away from Delara and said “We are going to kill your child and you cannot do anything about it”.

While holding a Koran, Delara’s mother and father rushed to the prison. They cried, pleaded and yelled and said “please let us see the deceased family. We want o fall to their feet.”  They took Delara to the gallows with nobody around her. No father, no mother no lawyer who could listen to her needs. They put the rope on her delicate neck. I do not know who the cruel person was to pull the chair from under her feet. Judge Javid Nia issued her execution order. He is the newly appointed Judge in Rasht. Since his appointment, one person has already been stoned to death and this time it was Delara who was executed.

God bless her soul. But why? Why was Delara executed like this? A friend of mine said “even Saddam Hossein was not executed like this!”

 Why are the voices of the innocent not getting anywhere?  Some say Delara was at fault, some say it was her father's fault, some say it was her lawyer's fault. I say it is the fault of the judicial system here because whereas many countries have abandoned the execution of juvenile offenders, Iran insists on killing them. Why?

From a letter by Delara Darabi to those attending the exhibition of her paintings:

".... I know that my years of struggle for attaining my rights and for my innocence to be heard is not being effective ...An imprisoned man once said: "My only claims are my calls to God from my small prison, and my answers to God in the vast field of freedom within these four walls." .   It is not important where we are ...God's love is always with us ...and his promise of truth......Pray for all Delara's in the faraway lands."

From a letter by Delara Darabi one year ago to Nazanin Afshin-Jam president and co-founder of the Stop Child Executions:

"..... I don't know if I will meet you my dear ones or we must leave the meeting to the unseen world. Anyway, Delara is not alone, Delara's are trapped in prisons and in need of God's help and in need of defenders of human right and humanity!!!

I hope that you defend humanity and always be successful. The one who defends humanity and knowledge , is not a human but a true knower of God and knower of self. A reference, a gauge and a motive for life...and that is how you are ...Nazanin (precious) of all ages.

You and I and all of us, human beings of the world came here ...but after a while we forgot everything... We live with different feelings, with perplexity and amazements and we still do not understand why?

I cry a lot, just like the spring clouds! with large droplets...have you ever seen it?! ......I have never cried for being imprisoned, because my thoughts and my heart is free and is with you....Say hello to my true loving friends , because every night during my prayer I pray for all the people of this large and vast house."

One of the poems by Delara sent from prison to SCE before she and her family were threatened by the officials of Islamic Republic against further contacts with outside world:

"I empathize with the scarecrow for being stuck in the field 

Her voice is lost behind the clusters of wheat

...and Delara's voice

http://scenews.blog.com/4890465/

 پیکردلارا دارابی متولد 7 مهر 1365 خورشیدی امروز 12 اردیبهشت1388 خورشیدی  در حضور صدها نفر از دوستان و آشنایانش در باغ رضوان رشت به خاک سپرده شد. دیشب پدرش را به بیمارستان بردند . او در مراسم خاکسپاری دخترش حضور نداشت

http://www.pouyashome.com/flashtest/delara/titr.htm

Today May 2nd 2009, body of Delara Darabi born on September 28, 1986 was burried in "Heaven's Garden" in the Caspian City of Rasht, Iran. Hundreds of people attended her funeral. Her father who is now hospitalized was not present. 

http://scenews.blog.com/4882344/

Stop Child Executions sadly regrets to confirm that the Iranian female juvenile Delara Darabi was executed early morning today in the prison yard of the northern city of Rasht, Iran.

Delara Darabi was convicted of a alleged murder when she was 17 years old.

In violation of Iran's own laws, neither of Delara's attorney were informed of the execution. Delara was hanged only 11 days after Iran's judiciary had officially stated that Delara's execution was postponed for 2 months (http://scenews.blog.com/4837662/)

Delara was the most well known Iranian minor on the death row. She was also an artist and continued her art work in prison.

In his blog Iranian attorney, Mohammad Mostafaei who represents many Iranian juveniles on the death row wrote this morning: "She was not a murderer. I swear she was not" (http://mohegh.blogfa.com/post-68.aspx)

Amnesty International's Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme, Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui stated that ""Amnesty International is outraged at the execution of Delara Darabi, and particularly at the news that her lawyer was not informed about the execution, despite the legal requirement that he should receive 48 hours' notice...This appears to have been a cynical move on the part of the authorities to avoid domestic and international protests which might have saved Delara Darabi's life....This indicates that even decisions by the Head of the Judiciary carry no weight and are disregarded in the provinces" .

"Iranian leadership and judiciary must be held responsible for execution of Delara Darabi" said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam spokesperson of Iran Human Rights group. (http://www.iranhr.net/spip.php?article1058) "Lack of strong and sustainable reactions from the world community is one of the main reasons why Iranian authorities continue execution of minors. Iranian authorities have learned that their violations of the human rights lead just to some verbal protests from the world community, without any practical consequences...It is the time that UN and world community show that UN’s conventions are more than just formalities" said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam who asks UN and EU to condemn Delara’s execution and put sanctions on the Iranian authorities."

"As long as the international community and United Nations do not officially and seriously hold the government of the Islamic Republic and individuals within it fully responsible for such obvious crimes against children and humanity and as long as the gross human rights violations in Iran are being ignored by the leaders and governments of the world, the notion of accepting the regime of Iran in to the world's civil community remains to be an unreal expectation and at best a slap in the face of all Iranians and the humanity. The issue of respect for human rights must be at the forefront and a precondition for all discussions with the Iran's government. As long the Islamic Republic so openly violates its own laws as well as the internationally accepted conventions in the area of human rights, they should not be trusted with any can other treaties either"  said David Etebari, co-founder of the Stop Child Executions.

Stop Child Executions strongly condemns the illegal execution of Delara Darabi and demands formation of an independent international tribunal to look in to the case of Delara Darabi and to bring all those responsible for the unjust sentencing and execution of Delara Darabi to international justice.

Along with Amnesty International, SCE "does not consider her trial to have been fair, as the courts later refused to consider new evidence which the lawyer said would have proved she could not have committed the murder."

The execution of Delara Darabi brings the number of executions in Iran this year to 140.  Iran has executed at least forty two juvenile offenders since 1990, eight of them in 2008 and one on 21 January 2009, in total disregard of international law, which unequivocally bans the execution of those convicted of crimes committed when under the age of 18.

More to follow...

http://scenews.blog.com/4871028/

Some of the most prominent religious figures, lawmakers, lawyers and socio-political activists in Iran have signed a petition protesting against child executions.

-Mohammad Bastenegar (enlightened theologian)

-Rakhshaneh Bani-etemad (film producer)

-Jafar Panahi (film producer)

-Dr. Habibola Peyman (enlightened theologian)

-Dr. Gholamabbas Tavasoli (sociologist)

-Hojatoleslam Mohamadjavad Hajtikermani (religious figure)

-Mohandes Ezattolah Sahabi (enlightened theologian)

-Dr. Ahmad Sadr Haj Seyedjavadi (lawyer)

-Dr. Aliasghar Gharavi (PhD in Philosophy)

-Azam Talebani (enlightened theologian)

-Shirin Ebadi (lawyer and Nobel Peace Laureate)

-Hojatoleslam Mohammadtaghi Fazel Maybodi (Faqih - religious jurisprudence)

-Dr. Nasser Kartoozian (lawyer and Univeristy Professor)

-Hojatoleslam Mehdi Karoobi (Faqih- religious jurisprudence)

-Dr. Mohammad Mojdahed Shabastari (Faqih- religious jurisprudence and religious leader)

-Dr. Ebrahim Yazdi (enlightened theologian)

-Hosseinyoussefi Ashkevari

The proposed declaration is in accordance with religious teachings and is intended to give an opportunity for the rehabilitation of children under the age of 18 years who have encountered difficulties in society.

The declaration emphasizes the statement made by The Center for Human Rights Defenders on the issue of juvenile executions. They have begun the campaign called “Stop Child Executions” and have started their activities to halt executions of juvenile offenders. The following statement has been issued on April 26^th 2009 (Ordibehesht 6 1388).

“In God’s name, all God’s religions and all written laws, it has never been indicated that children are to be punished for an offense the same as adults. Children should be given the opportunity to understand the beauty of life and to be given the opportunity to learn between good and bad. According to this Center, the highest punishment is execution. The death penalty applied to children under the age of 18 is unfathomable and should not exis. The forgiveness of an individual is a common value according to many countries’ laws, Iranian experts and the Koran. It is therefore without any doubt that Islam would grant life rather than execution to a child and give him/her the opportunity to see the good and bad in life.

The protection of life is at the chore of all religions and a logical concept and there has not been any fatwas (decrees) by any famous religious lawmakers that says otherwise.

According to the fact that Iran has signed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, we adamantly request for the end to sentences of execution for children who have committed an offence under the age of 18. We are asking for a change in the law.

"We are ready to give our forgiveness, if...."

Source: Sarmayeh Newspaper

In
an interview with Sarmayeh newspaper, the family of the victim said “we
are ready to give our forgiveness if Delara is convicted for 20 years
or a life sentence”. The family said they believe a person who has been
convicted of a proven crime, the act of killing someone should not be
set free just because of their forgiveness.

The
family had mentioned earlier in a letter that they believe in
forgiveness and could not be witnesses of an execution – a death of
another- and are ready to change the punishment of Ghesas (retribution)
to a prison term.

Throughout
Delara’s imprisonment many people, including artists, tried to help
mediate between the two families and were pushing to obtain pardon from
the deceased family. The family of the victim agreed to do so if Delara
and her family show remorse for the death of their relative and in the
condition that they dismiss their current attorney from handling their
file.  They had mentioned in a prior interview that they did not like attorney Khoramshahi’s attitude towards them.


Abass Momenzadeh, a high level lawyer, mentioned
that lawmakers can only convict the accused for no more than 10 years
once the family of the victim gives their pardon. He said the decision
of imprisonment is the responsibility of the lawmaker and not of the
family of the deceased.  To ask for 20 years imprisonment is not a lawful request. 
Only the court can decide the length of imprisonment. He continued that
there is however other reasonable requests that can be a substituted.
For example if the request was to pay 40 million toman (approx USD
$40,000), they could instead request 100 million toman (approx USD
$100,000) instead.

He
continued saying that recently in another case the family of the
deceased had asked for 6 kidneys to be donated to needy people instead
of a dollar amount.  

When
Mr. Momenzadeh was asked what would happen if there is no agreement, he
said that the death penalty verdict must be executed. 
If the family of the victim insists on their stance, their file will go
back to the execution committee’s office and they will ask the family
to make up their mind.