The Iranian Parliament (Majlis)

IRAN MOVES ONE STEP CLOSER TO MANDATING DEATH PENALTY FOR APOSTASY

September 9, 2008: Iran's parliament, or Majlis, voted by an overwhelming majority in favor of a draft law that would mandate the death penalty for apostates. According to reports the Institute received, the parliament passed an umbrella bill that contains articles requiring the death penalty for apostates. The articles now return to committee for further consideration before lawmakers vote on them again.
Iranian law currently requires punishment for apostates, who are those who leave Islam and convert to another religion. However, the type of punishment is left to the discretion of the judge. If the new provisions pass all stages of Iran's legislative process, apostates will receive only one punishment: death. Other new crimes that have been included are: witchcraft, heresy in religion, and fortune telling, which was previously banned but not considered a crime. Under the new law these are not only considered as a crime but are punishable by death.
The draft penal code has been under consideration since February, and includes security provisions that would give Iran jurisdiction even over actions taken and deemed threatening to the state outside of Iran. News of the approval was withdrawn from the Iranian Parliament’s website just hours after it was published on Tuesday. Nevertheless, it was published by official Iranian news agencies, including the IRINN (Islamic Republic of Iran News Network) and morning papers inside Iran such as Resalat. The news was also seen on Radio Farda’s website. (Sources: Compass Direct News, 10/09/2008; Aina.org, 11/09/2008)