A Voice for the Voiceless

Juvenile Offender Faces Execution in Iran

By Yasmine S. Hakimian
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

Mohamad_rezaSHIRAZ, Iran – Mohammad Reza Haddadi, a minor offender, is scheduled to be hanged on October 9. The Criminal Court in Kazeroon sentenced Haddadi to death on January 6, 2004, for the August 2003 alleged kidnapping and murder of taxi driver Mohammad Bagher Rahmat. Haddadi was 15 years old at the time. Haddadi’s co-defendants were all over 18 at the time of the crime and they received lower sentences.

According to his lawyer, Mr. Mostafaei, Haddadi didn’t commit the murder. Mr. Mostafaei states his client merely confessed to the murder because of his poverty and young age. Haddadi retracted his confession in a letter to the court as soon as he learned his mother had not received any money from his co-defendants. The letter explained that his co-defendants tricked him into taking the blame by falsely promising to provide his family with money and other benefits. Haddadi faces execution even though he retracted his confession and his co-defendants eventually withdrew their statements implicating him.

In February, Mr. Mostafaei wrote a letter to the head of the Iranian judiciary requesting that they reconsider Haddadi’s case. Mr. Mostafaei’s request was unsuccessful and Haddadi stands to be to be hanged on October 9. The hanging will take place at the Kaeroun prison in southern Iran.

The United Nations bans the death penalty for offenses committed by minors. Every state in the world has ratified treaties to prevent those under 18 (at the time of the crime) from being sentenced to death. The majority of states have complied fully with this obligation. Iran has ratified two treaties that prohibit juvenile executions: the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Haddadi’s planned execution on October 9 violates Iran’s human rights obligation to not execute juvenile offenders.

Iran has the highest incidence of juvenile executions. In Iran, judges can impose the death penalty in capital cases if the defendant has attained “majority.” Majority, as defined by Iranian law means age 9 for girls and age 15 for boys. Six minor offenders have been executed in Iran this year. According to a report by Human Rights Watch, Iranian authorities are responsible for 26 of the 32 minor executions worldwide since 2005.

Currently, there are more than 150 juvenile offenders sentenced to death in Iran. Clarisa Bencomo, a Middle East children’s rights researcher for Human Rights Watch, explained that states that execute minor offenders acknowledge that such executions are wrong. According to Bencomo, “changes in law and practice need to be faster.”

For more information, please see:

Iran Human Rights – Urgent: The Minor Offender Mohammad Reza Haddadi is Scheduled to be Executed on October 9 in Southern Iran – 5 October 2008

Iran Human Rights – 32 Minor Offenders Executed Since 2005- 26 of the Executions Have Taken Place in Iran – 10 September 2008

Amnesty International – Mohammad Reza Haddadi, Aged 18; Reza Hejazi, Aged 19; Iman Hashemi, Aged 18: Child Offenders – 13 March 2008

Human Rights Watch – Iran: Halt Execution of Juvenile Offender – 22 February 2008

Stop Child Executions – Three More Youth Sentenced to Death in Iran – 12 January 2008

BRIEF: Fijian Acdemic Says Elections Are Not End to Conflict

WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Dr. Alumita Durutalo, a political scientist at the University of the South Pacific, says that returning Fiji to elections will not be the end to the political conflict.  Durutalo says the country has not completely resolved the political conflict since the first coup in 1987.  It was also suggested that instead of constantly pushing for Fiji to return to elections, Australia and New Zealand could help Fiji by helping to establish good political, social, and economic governance.

Durutalo elaborated on her position when she said, “What leaders have focused on is just going back to elections. That is good but we must remember that the nature of conflicts are so complex, some have evolved from the pre-European period, and that is why I say that we must look for solutions first before we carry on.”

For more information, please see:
Islands Business – Roots of Fiji conflict must be addressed for political stability, says academic – 30 September 2008

Fiji’s President Rejects Request to Dismiss Interim Government

By Hayley J. Campbell
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji – Fiji’s President has rejected the National Federation Party’s request to shut down the interim government. Fiji’s prime minister says efforts to rebuild the country will not be weighed down by criticism.

The NFP is calling on President,  Ratu Josefa Iloilo, to promote democratic elections so that Fiji can reestablish a free and legitimate government. Pramod Rae, NFP general secretary, proposes that Fiji’s president create a “caretaker government” “with the sole objective of organizing free and fair elections under the provisions of the 1997 Constitution.”

Mr. Rae believes that, in rejecting the NFP’s request, the President was following advice from the interim Attorney General’s office.

Meanwhile, interim prime minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, has announced that the legality of the interim government is not what is important, but rather, the efforts to rebuild the nation.

Individuals and politicians alike have phoned in their concerns in an effort to gather support against the interim government’s politics.

The NFP’s management board meets today in Lautoka to draft a reply to the President.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International – Fiji’s president rejects calls to oust government – 05 October 2008

Fiji Times – No longer about legality: Interim PM – 05 October 2008

Fiji Live – Cabinet will stay, says Fiji President – 04 October 2008

Violence Against Christians Continues in India

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

NEW DELHI, India – Religious clashes among the Hindus and the Christian minority has caused violence to erupt in two Christian villages in the state of Orissa.  Two homes and one church were set on fire, resulting in the killing of one person.  Christians have responded with some violence.

What has sparked the violence was the murder of Hindu holy man Swami Laxamananda Saraswati and four of his followers on August 23rd.  Holding Christians responsible, Hindu attacks on Christian villages, churches and people followed.  Since the murder in August, 32 people have died and thousands of Christians fled their homes.  The number of Christians living in relief camps has increased from 12,000 to 20,000.

Christians make up 2.3 percent of India’s population.  Tension began to mount as early as the 1990’s when Hindus blamed missionaries of converting Hindus to Christianity.  In response to the violence, Premier Manmohan Singh’s stated that the attacks in Orissa were a “national shame” and that his government had taken a “firm stand” to halt it.  Authorities have imposed a curfew in at least nine towns and over 3,700 federal police have been deployed in Orissa, yet the violence continues.  It is believed that the government is turning a blind eye to the attacks.

Amnesty International urged that “India should match its words with its actions and ensure that members of the Christian minority community in Orissa are protected against renewed communal violence.”  They also state that New Delhi should “conduct a prompt and impartial investigation into the attacks… publish the results and bring those responsible to justice.”

Pope Benedict has also condemned the attacks and urged the European Union to treat persecution of Christians as a humanitarian emergency.

For more information, please see:

AFP – Amnesty Urges India to Protect Minority Christians – 2 October 2008

The Economist – Hindu-Christian Tensions in India – 25 September 2008

Reuters – India Authorities Impose Curfew, Christians Attacked – 1 October 2008

Child Labor in Pakistan

By Shayne R. Burnham
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – With the coming of Eid al-Fitr, there is a boost in the glass bangles industry, and an increase in the child labor it takes to meet the high demand.  One child worker states, “Usually we work eight or nine hours a day. At busy times like this we work for up to 16.”  He earns approximately $13 per month.  Another child said, “Our parents are very poor. We have to work, though I would like to go to school.  If the workshop owner is happy with our work he may give us some extra money and then our parents will be happy.“

The International Labour Organization (ILO) conducted a study of the glass bangles industry and found that, on average, children worked nearly 12 hours per day.  Children sit hunched over hot furnaces and are subject to toxic chemicals, putting their health at risk.

Non-governmental organizations such as the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), based in Islamabad, estimate approximately 8 to 10 million children are exploited for work.  According to the Federal Bureau of Statistics, 3.3 million are engaged in the glass bangle industry.

SPARC’s national manager for promotions stated that it is not poverty that leads to exploitation, “The notion that poverty is a cause is inaccurate. In fact child labor itself leads to poverty and creates a vicious circle… The high drop-out rate from schools, with 50 percent leaving education within the first five years of primary education, also contributes to child labor.”  Moreover, the lack of awareness attributes to Pakistani child labor since consumers do not know how the bangles are made.

A study conducted by Save the Children said that, “eradication of this labour is not a viable option unless new avenues and opportunities are created.”  They also point out that one impediment is that there are few work alternatives and few pay as much.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Pakistan Labour Effort Praised – 4 May 2006

Irin – Pakistan:  The Darker Side of Glittering Bangles – 3 October 2008

IPS – Rights-Pakistan:  Glass Bangle Industry Rides on Child Labour – 20 June 2003