Reza Alinejad
Encyclopedia
Reza Alinejad (born September 15, 1985) was one of countless alleged Iran
ian juvenile offenders who was sentenced to death by hanging at the age of 17. He was accused of killing a man in self-defense.
, Iran
, Reza and his friend were confronted by a group of older men who verbally assaulted the two teenagers. The verbal altercation escalated, and one member of the group that had initiated the confrontation with Reza and his friend pulled out a weapon and began to beat the teens. In an attempt to defend himself and his friend against the devastating physical attack and to scare and fend off his attackers, Reza pulled out a pocket knife, and while covering his face and eyes from the blows with his left hand, he attempted to ward off his attackers with the knife in his right hand. As Reza struggled with his attackers in this manner, he accidentally stabbed one of them with the knife. The stabbing ultimately led to the attacker's death, and Reza was arrested on charges of murder and was sentenced to death by hanging.
During the initial investigation of this case, a number of exculpatory facts were established for the record, including the testimony of the decedent’s friend, who was present when the altercation took place. The eyewitness admitted that he and his friend were the ones who had started the fight, and without provocation from Reza and his friend, they had attacked the two teenagers with their weapons. The eyewitness testified that the teenagers did not have any way of escaping the altercation as they were surrounded and overpowered. They were severely beaten, leaving them with serious injuries that required them to be hospitalized. As such, the eyewitness admitted that the attacks that he and his by-then deceased friend's actions were so aggressive that he could understand why Reza and his friend had acted as they had to defend their lives.
Another eyewitness—who was not a participant in the altercation—confirmed these facts. His testimony, in addition to other evidence in the case, left little doubt that Reza had engaged in self-defense, and that he had no choice but to use necessary force to save his own life as well as that of his younger friend.
Despite evidence supporting Reza's claim that he stabbed the man in self-defense, as well as the fact that he was a minor at the time of the incident, Reza Alinejad was sentenced to qesas- retribution- for murder by Section 6 of the Criminal Court in Fasa on October 4, 2003.
When the case reached Iran's highest court for review in December 2004, this death sentence was rejected by the judge, who accepted that the teenager had acted in self-defence. The judge acknowledged that the instigators of the dispute were the dead man and his friend, that they had attacked Reza Alinejad and his friend with the nunchaku
and had injured them, and that the stabbing by Reza Alinejad had not been intentional.
The Supreme Court remanded the case to another lower court for review. The case was heard for a second time by branch 101 of Fasa Criminal Court. On June 15, 2005, the lower court sentenced Reza to death again, concluding that he could have fled the scene and had therefore acted unreasonably. On May 9, 2006, Iran's Supreme Court upheld the death sentence.
According to Lily Mazahery
, an Iranian-American human rights lawyer and a human rights advocate who has worked on a number of similar cases, the rulings in Reza's case violated international law and standards. This is because at the time of the incident, Reza was a minor. Article 37 of the Convention on the Right of the Child, to which the Islamic Republic of Iran is a signatory, prohibits the execution of individuals for acts or crimes committed before the age of majority.
Reza's death sentence drew widespread criticism from human rights organizations and advocates around the world, including the issuance of Urgent Action Alerts by Amnesty International
to stop the execution.
Reza's case was transferred to Iran's Head of Judiciary Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
for review.
Reza's brother, Meghada Alinejad, along with other members of Reza's family, have pleaded for international help.
In December 2007, in a letter to Nazanin Afshin-Jam
, Reza's brother, Ali Alinejad sent the copy of the mediation order by Iran's head of judiciary that stated: ""Considering the age of the convicted and the unintentional circumstances that he was faced, the file is ordered to be returned to judiciary court in (city of) Fasa. Through Mediation council or by any other means; more efforts and attempts must be made in order to bring a resolution between parents of the victim and the murder convict. Results are to be reported back." http://scenews.blog.com/2368910/
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian juvenile offenders who was sentenced to death by hanging at the age of 17. He was accused of killing a man in self-defense.
Background information
In December 2002, while eating at a local marketplace in FasaFasa
Fasa is a city in and the capital of Fasa County, Fars Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 90,251, in 22,097 families.-Colleges and universities:*# *# *# *#...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Reza and his friend were confronted by a group of older men who verbally assaulted the two teenagers. The verbal altercation escalated, and one member of the group that had initiated the confrontation with Reza and his friend pulled out a weapon and began to beat the teens. In an attempt to defend himself and his friend against the devastating physical attack and to scare and fend off his attackers, Reza pulled out a pocket knife, and while covering his face and eyes from the blows with his left hand, he attempted to ward off his attackers with the knife in his right hand. As Reza struggled with his attackers in this manner, he accidentally stabbed one of them with the knife. The stabbing ultimately led to the attacker's death, and Reza was arrested on charges of murder and was sentenced to death by hanging.
During the initial investigation of this case, a number of exculpatory facts were established for the record, including the testimony of the decedent’s friend, who was present when the altercation took place. The eyewitness admitted that he and his friend were the ones who had started the fight, and without provocation from Reza and his friend, they had attacked the two teenagers with their weapons. The eyewitness testified that the teenagers did not have any way of escaping the altercation as they were surrounded and overpowered. They were severely beaten, leaving them with serious injuries that required them to be hospitalized. As such, the eyewitness admitted that the attacks that he and his by-then deceased friend's actions were so aggressive that he could understand why Reza and his friend had acted as they had to defend their lives.
Another eyewitness—who was not a participant in the altercation—confirmed these facts. His testimony, in addition to other evidence in the case, left little doubt that Reza had engaged in self-defense, and that he had no choice but to use necessary force to save his own life as well as that of his younger friend.
Despite evidence supporting Reza's claim that he stabbed the man in self-defense, as well as the fact that he was a minor at the time of the incident, Reza Alinejad was sentenced to qesas- retribution- for murder by Section 6 of the Criminal Court in Fasa on October 4, 2003.
When the case reached Iran's highest court for review in December 2004, this death sentence was rejected by the judge, who accepted that the teenager had acted in self-defence. The judge acknowledged that the instigators of the dispute were the dead man and his friend, that they had attacked Reza Alinejad and his friend with the nunchaku
Nunchaku
is a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.-Etymology:The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff....
and had injured them, and that the stabbing by Reza Alinejad had not been intentional.
The Supreme Court remanded the case to another lower court for review. The case was heard for a second time by branch 101 of Fasa Criminal Court. On June 15, 2005, the lower court sentenced Reza to death again, concluding that he could have fled the scene and had therefore acted unreasonably. On May 9, 2006, Iran's Supreme Court upheld the death sentence.
According to Lily Mazahery
Lily Mazahery
Lily Mazahery is an Iranian-American lawyer, human rights activist, and an expert source on Iran. She is principal of and the founder and president of , an international non-governmental organization .-Overview:...
, an Iranian-American human rights lawyer and a human rights advocate who has worked on a number of similar cases, the rulings in Reza's case violated international law and standards. This is because at the time of the incident, Reza was a minor. Article 37 of the Convention on the Right of the Child, to which the Islamic Republic of Iran is a signatory, prohibits the execution of individuals for acts or crimes committed before the age of majority.
Reza's death sentence drew widespread criticism from human rights organizations and advocates around the world, including the issuance of Urgent Action Alerts by Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
to stop the execution.
Reza's case was transferred to Iran's Head of Judiciary Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi is a moderate Iraqi-Iranian politician and Twelver Shi'a Marja. Hashemi Shahroudi was the leader of the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, which has caused objections to his serving as the head of Iran's Judiciary System upon his...
for review.
Reza's brother, Meghada Alinejad, along with other members of Reza's family, have pleaded for international help.
In December 2007, in a letter to Nazanin Afshin-Jam
Nazanin Afshin-Jam
Nazanin Afshin-Jam is a Persian Human Rights Activist, , President and Co-Founder of Stop Child Executions, Singer, Songwriter, model, actress, pilot, former Miss World Canada and Miss World 1st runner-up...
, Reza's brother, Ali Alinejad sent the copy of the mediation order by Iran's head of judiciary that stated: ""Considering the age of the convicted and the unintentional circumstances that he was faced, the file is ordered to be returned to judiciary court in (city of) Fasa. Through Mediation council or by any other means; more efforts and attempts must be made in order to bring a resolution between parents of the victim and the murder convict. Results are to be reported back." http://scenews.blog.com/2368910/
See also
- Stop Child Executions CampaignStop Child Executions CampaignStop Child Executions is a non-profit organization co-founded by Nazanin Afshin-Jam that aims to put an end to executions of minors in Iran. The organization campaigns to raise awareness about the issue and to put pressure on the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, both in Iran and...
- Delara DarabiDelara DarabiDelara Darabi was an Iranian Gilaki female, who was sentenced to death by hanging when she was only 16 years old. She was convicted of murdering her father's female cousin in 2003...
- Nazanin Fatehi
- Mosleh ZamaniMosleh ZamaniMosleh Zamani was a 23-year old Iranian Kurd who was executed on December 17, 2009 for having an "illicit relationship with his girlfriend" when he was 17 years old....
- Atefeh Rajabi
- Human rights in IranHuman rights in the Islamic Republic of IranThe state of human rights in Iran has been criticized both by Iranians and international human right activists, writers, and NGOs. The United Nations General Assembly and the Human Rights Commission have condemned prior and ongoing abuses in Iran in published critiques and several resolutions.The...