On Tuesday, multiple news outlets picked up on a statement that was issued by Amnesty International, calling attention to the latest executions of juvenile offenders in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The nation has long maintained its status as the 2nd most prolific user of the death penalty, with the world’s highest per-capita rate of executions. In terms of the total number of state-sanctioned killings, Iran lags only behind China, while it is apparently number one among the small handful of countries that still implement the death penalty for persons who were under the age of 18 at the time of their crimes. Ordinarily, the Iranian judiciary delays the execution of such offenders until after they have passed the internationally-recognized age of majority. However, Iranian law allows for boys to be held legally responsible at the age of 13, and girls at the age of nine. This principle has been variously reaffirmed by Iranian judges after international outcry helped to encourag...
Striving for a World without Capital Punishment