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U.S. | 'I comfort death row inmates in their final moments - the execution room is like a house of horrors'

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Reverend Jeff Hood, 40, wants to help condemned inmates 'feel human again' and vows to continue his efforts to befriend murderers in spite of death threats against his family A reverend who has made it his mission to comfort death row inmates in their final days has revealed the '"moral torture" his endeavor entails. Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood, 40, lives with his wife and five children in Little Rock, Arkansas. But away from his normal home life, he can suddenly find himself holding the shoulder of a murderer inside an execution chamber, moments away from the end of their life. 

Iran: Jafar Kazemi at imminent risk of execution over alleged participation in anti-government demonstrations and alleged contact with banned opposition group

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Jafar Kazemi
The execution verdict for Jafar Kazemi was upheld by branch 36 of the Appeals Court by judge Hojatoleslam Zargari. His file has now been processed to carry out the death sentence. There is no legal recourse to save Jafar Kazemi’s life.

Kazemi’s lawyer Ms. Ghanavi told a human rights website that her client has spent long periods of time in solitary confinement. Kazemi was originally sentenced by branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court.

Roudabeh Akbari, Kazemi’s wife, wrote a letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urging him to take steps to stop her husband’s execution.

Kazemi was working as a lithograph for textbooks and pamphlets for Amirkabir University when he was arrested on September 18, 2009 at Haft-e Tir Square. He was taken to solitary confinement in ward 209 of Evin prison and spent 74 days there before he was transferred to ward 350. Kazemi was also imprisoned from 1981 until the end of 1989.

Ghanavi has stated that her client was issued the charge of Moharebeh (waging war against God) for his alleged affiliation with the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization. Kazemi has not accepted the charge during his interrogations.

According to Ghanavi, Shi’ite scholars state that the charge of Moharebeh is levied against those who rise up in an armed revolt against the government. Ghanavi explains that this is not the case with her client. It is believed that he did take part in post-election gatherings and chanted slogans but his lawyer says the charge of Moharebeh is baseless. Ghanavi explained that the appeal for Kazemi was never really considered by the court and the Moharebeh charge was never looked into. Read more.



Source: Persian2English, July 30, 2010
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