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Japan | Hakamada found religion, but then felt under attack by ‘the devil’

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Editor's note: This is the last in a four-part series on letters that Iwao Hakamada wrote while on death row. About a decade after cursing God, Iwao Hakamada was baptized Catholic at the Tokyo Detention House on Dec. 24, 1984. “Since I have been given the Christian name Paul, I am keenly feeling that I should be aware of the greatness of Paul.” (June 1985)

Four hanged in public in Bandar Abbas, southern Iran

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Iran Human Rights, April 21: Four people were hanged in public in the city of Bandar Abbas, south of Iran, this morning.

According to several Iranians, the men, who were not identified by name or age, were convicted of rape and murder.

The men were hanged in the popular beach area of "Bostan-e saheli-e Ghadir" under strict security measures.

"Bostan-e- Saheli-e Ghadir" is a popular beach area used for beach sports or photographing the sunset.

This is the 8th public hanging so far in Iran.

Source: Iran Human Rights, April 21, 2011


At least two juvenile offenders among the four executed in public in Bandar Abbas

Iran Human Rights, April 25: According to the reports that Iran Human Rights (IHR) has received from reliable sources, at least two of those who were hanged in Bandar Abbas last week, were 17 years old at the time of the alleged offence.

Four young men were hanged by cranes on April 21. on a beach in the Iranian city of Bandar Abbas. Three of the men were convicted of murdering a 15 years old boy November 30th 2008. Another man was convicted of raping a girl on May 8th 2009.

According to IHR’s sources the three men in the murder case were arrested few months after the alleged offence. At that time they were identified as "S. N." (18 years old), "A. N." (17 years old) and "H. B." (17 years old).

It is not clear whether "S.N." was 18 or 17 years old at the time of the alleged offence which was several months prior to the arrest.

The person who was convicted of raping a 17 years old girl in 2009 was identified as "S. M." (22 years old).

Iran has ratified the UN’s convention of the Child’s rights that bans death penalty for offences convicted at less than 18 years of age, and which is legally binding. But despite this fact, Iran is on the top of the world in regard to execution of minors. Iranian authorities have executed more than 25 minor offenders since 2007. According to the annual reports of IHR, at least 9 minor offenders were executed in 2007, 9 in 2008, 5 in 2009; 2 in 2010 and at least two minor offenders have been executed so far in 2011.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR, urges the UN’s Special Rapporteur who is scheduled to travel to Iran during the 2011 to give special attention to the minors on the death row.

Source: Iran Human Rights, April 25, 2011 - [فارسى]
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