Iran Executes 17-Year-Old Hamidreza Azari, 68th Child Convict Hanged This Year

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Iran Enforces Death Penalty on 17-Year-Old Amidst Global Outrage

In a shocking development, Iran has carried out the execution of a 17-year-old on charges of murder. The international community has expressed its strong opposition to this act, labeling it as a gross violation of human rights. The victim, identified as Hamidreza Azari, was hanged on November 24th, 2023, in Sabzevar, located in the Razavi Khorasan province. This distressing information has been disclosed by the Norway-based Hengaw and Iran Human Rights (IHR) groups, shedding light on Iran’s alarming trend of sentencing child offenders to death.

Iran has gained notoriety for executing more juveniles than any other country, a practice that has drawn widespread criticism. The IHR and Hengaw have condemned the Iranian government for persisting with its policy of capital punishment for minors. Hamidreza Azari, at the tender age of 17, became the 68th child convict to face execution this year, further illustrating the gravity of the situation.

The identity of Hamidreza Azari has been revealed by two prominent human rights organizations on November 25th, 2023. Outraged by the Israeli Republic’s refusal to halt executions of individuals convicted as minors, these groups have called attention to the dire consequences of such actions. Azari, the sole child in his family, was tragically sentenced to death for his involvement in a fatal altercation, which claimed the life of another individual. Before this incident, he had been working as a scrap worker, struggling to make ends meet.

According to the IHR and Hengaw, Azari was merely 16 years old when he committed the crime, making his execution even more appalling. The authorities’ decision to carry out the sentence when he reached the age of 17 reflects Iran’s callous disregard for international norms and conventions. The IHR has reported that since 2010, a staggering 68 minors have been executed in Iran, cementing the country’s infamous reputation as a perpetrator of this abhorrent practice.

Mahmood Amiry Moghaddam, the Director of IHR, has astutely highlighted the irony of the situation. In Iran, individuals must be 18 years old to obtain a driver’s license, yet a 15-year-old minor can be sentenced to death. This glaring inconsistency underscores the urgent need for Iranian authorities to reassess their approach to juvenile justice. Furthermore, on November 23rd, 2023, Iran executed a man in his early 20s, marking the eighth execution related to the nationwide protests that erupted in September of the previous year. The IHR has revealed that a shocking total of 684 individuals have been executed in Iran in 2023 alone, with many of these cases involving drug-related offenses and murder charges.

The international community is now calling on Iran to reconsider its stance on capital punishment, particularly for minors. This latest execution has sparked renewed outrage and highlights the urgent need for global intervention to protect the rights and welfare of children in Iran. The gravity of the situation demands immediate action to put an end to this disturbing trend, ensuring that no more young lives are unjustly taken away..