Juvenile Offender Executed in Iran This Morning

Amnesty International learned today about the tragic and very unexpected execution of Delara Darabi this morning in Iran.

Delara had been given a two month stay of execution by Ayatollah Shahroudi, the head of the Iranian Judiciary, just two weeks ago.  Her lawyer and her family had not been informed of the execution, despite the law requiring that.

Any execution is unacceptable, but Delara Darabi was convicted of a crime she allegedly committed when she was a juvenile.  Iran is the only country in the world that still executes juvenile offenders.  Delara Darabi had been arrested in 2003 and charged with the murder of a relative during a burglary.  Delara Darabi originally confessed to the crime, but later recanted, saying she had been hoping to protect her boyfriend who she identified as the perpetrator; she had mistakenly believed that the death penalty would not be applied to her because she was only seventeen at the time.  She has been imprisoned in Rasht Prison since 2003 and had developed into a talented artist.

Please write to the Iranian authorities to protest this and all executions of child offenders.

Amnesty International in the UK will be doing a flower laying ceremony at the Iranian embassy in London on Wednesday, May 6th between 4-6pm and encourages activists around the world to organize solidarity actions on the same day.  We are very sorry to have to bear this horrible news to you and can only hope that it will reaffirm our commitment to finally end juvenile executions in Iran.

AIUSA welcomes a lively and courteous discussion that follow our Community Guidelines. Comments are not pre-screened before they post but AIUSA reserves the right to remove any comments violating our guidelines.

15 thoughts on “Juvenile Offender Executed in Iran This Morning

  1. Awful! This is just plain awful! I can't believe Iran is still serving a dark and vengeful God, because they (including the victim's family) still believe that executions deter crimes and bring justice, peace and closure to victims' families. Yet they STILL ignore the fact that the death penalty is a flawed-up legal system and they STILL ignore the law that prohibits child executions. The execution of Darabi is so totally unfair, because Iran mistakened a two-month stay for a two-week stay! Iran is still a totally f-ed up nation! My condolences go to Darabi's family and the family of the victim (the latter whose vengeance in the form of justice was satisfied with her death). I still feel sad that her justice was denied. I truly hope she made her peace with God before she died. May Delara Darabi and the victim rest in the eternal peace they truly deserve. 😥 🙁

  2. If killing people made the world a better place, this would be heaven by now.

  3. Awful! This is just plain awful! I can’t believe Iran is still serving a dark and vengeful God, because they (including the victim’s family) still believe that executions deter crimes and bring justice, peace and closure to victims’ families. Yet they STILL ignore the fact that the death penalty is a flawed-up legal system and they STILL ignore the law that prohibits child executions. The execution of Darabi is so totally unfair, because Iran mistakened a two-month stay for a two-week stay! Iran is still a totally f-ed up nation! My condolences go to Darabi’s family and the family of the victim (the latter whose vengeance in the form of justice was satisfied with her death). I still feel sad that her justice was denied. I truly hope she made her peace with God before she died. May Delara Darabi and the victim rest in the eternal peace they truly deserve. 😥 🙁

  4. Delara Darabi's case was the first death penalty case I came across as I became more involved with human rights activism two years ago. My heart sank when I read this. My thoughts are with her family this evening as I remember the interview with her parents I watched in which her father could barely speak of his remorse. May he know that this is not his fault.

  5. If killing people made the world a better place, this would be heaven by now.

  6. Delara Darabi’s case was the first death penalty case I came across as I became more involved with human rights activism two years ago. My heart sank when I read this. My thoughts are with her family this evening as I remember the interview with her parents I watched in which her father could barely speak of his remorse. May he know that this is not his fault.

  7. Even if she did kill someone the Iran govenment just commited the same crime(murder), If you kill someone its murder, regardless of weather or not you work for the govenment or not, and what Mariana Brasil said (Second comment): If Executing people made the world a better place, This would be heaven by now! so true, don't just sit there at your computer reading about this very said story, and just wish you could help, stand up and fight your right to life!!!

  8. Well, I informed the church deacon two days ago about Darabi's unjust execution by the f-ed up government of Iran, and he told me that she is now with the Lord in heaven, praying for them and for their forgiveness, as well as the forgiveness of her family and the family of the relative/victim. The deacon's words were very comforting, and I know that God is a God of mercy and forgiveness, and only he has the right to give or take a life, not us humans or even the people of Iran. May God forgive them, and may God forgive us all.

  9. Even if she did kill someone the Iran govenment just commited the same crime(murder), If you kill someone its murder, regardless of weather or not you work for the govenment or not, and what Mariana Brasil said (Second comment): If Executing people made the world a better place, This would be heaven by now! so true, don’t just sit there at your computer reading about this very said story, and just wish you could help, stand up and fight your right to life!!!

  10. Well, I informed the church deacon two days ago about Darabi’s unjust execution by the f-ed up government of Iran, and he told me that she is now with the Lord in heaven, praying for them and for their forgiveness, as well as the forgiveness of her family and the family of the relative/victim. The deacon’s words were very comforting, and I know that God is a God of mercy and forgiveness, and only he has the right to give or take a life, not us humans or even the people of Iran. May God forgive them, and may God forgive us all.

  11. It is a horrendous act to take away life from anyone, because life in itself is a beautiful, spontaneous, and sacred thing no matter whos god(if any) you believe in and who you are as a person. No person is truely a monster, and even if she did commit the crime, which is highly unlikely in this case, it doesn't justify more destruction. Revenge is just a never ending downward spiral of destruction and grief. The fact that the practice of executing children is still in place chills the soul and claws at the heart. It must be vehemently and immediately abolished. Iran cannot ignore the world's outcry.

    In response to Debbie Kearns' first comment, I really can't agree with your condemming of Iran's "dark and vengful God". Equally bloody and merciless animousities have been committed in the name of almost every religion and within every border drawn upon the earth. It does nothing to point fingers of blame against any religion, nationality, and other identities that separate us as human beings.

  12. It is a horrendous act to take away life from anyone, because life in itself is a beautiful, spontaneous, and sacred thing no matter whos god(if any) you believe in and who you are as a person. No person is truely a monster, and even if she did commit the crime, which is highly unlikely in this case, it doesn’t justify more destruction. Revenge is just a never ending downward spiral of destruction and grief. The fact that the practice of executing children is still in place chills the soul and claws at the heart. It must be vehemently and immediately abolished. Iran cannot ignore the world’s outcry.

    In response to Debbie Kearns’ first comment, I really can’t agree with your condemming of Iran’s “dark and vengful God”. Equally bloody and merciless animousities have been committed in the name of almost every religion and within every border drawn upon the earth. It does nothing to point fingers of blame against any religion, nationality, and other identities that separate us as human beings.

  13. What a gem! I found this on yahoo poking around for something totally unrelated- now I'm gonna need to go back and go through all the archives. Good bye my spare time this morning, but this was a truly awesome find

  14. What a gem! I found this on yahoo poking around for something totally unrelated- now I’m gonna need to go back and go through all the archives. Good bye my spare time this morning, but this was a truly awesome find

Comments are closed.