DEATH PENALTY FOR JUVENILE OFFENDERS IN IRAN

That this House deplores the flouting of clear and specific human rights obligations by Iran in the case of Makwan Mouladzadeh, aged 20; regrets that Mouladzadeh was hanged on 4th December 2007 in defiance of Ayatollah Shahrudi's order to stay the execution pending review of the case; understands that Mouladzadeh was sentenced to death for crimes allegedly committed when he was 13 years old; condemns this decision, given that all of his accusers had recanted their statements and he had repudiated his confession as being coerced by the police; notes that Iran has ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, both of which treaties bar the imposition of the death penalty for offences committed under the age of 18; is dismayed that Iran executes more juvenile offenders than any other state; and urges HM Government to press the Iranian regime to fulfil its obligations under the two treaties.