IRAN: CELEBRITIES, CHARITY SOCIETY SAVE YOUNG MAN FROM HANGING

March 8, 2017: A group of Iranian celebrities in association with a charity society finally managed to commute the death sentence of a young man who had committed murder when he was a teenager, Khabaronline reported. A 15-year-old boy, who used the pseudonym "Soheil", had been convicted of murder and was sentenced to death. Soheil who waited on death row for five years committed a murder over a childish argument with another guy. Last month just before carrying out the execution the victim's family agreed to receive some 3.5 billion rials (nearly $87,500) to make a compromise with Soheil's family.
The court only gave them some days to pay out the money otherwise Soheil would be executed. Imam Ali charity society committed to pay 2.5 billion rials (nearly $62,500).
Since then many of the actors and singers joined hand to encourage the public to donate as much money as they can on their Instagram accounts.
And finally on March 3, singer Mohsen Chavoshi shared a new song called "vase" on his Instagram page and solicited contributions in exchange for downloading his song to help free Soheil who only had seven days left to either die or live.
"I know you wouldn't disappoint me..." Chavoshi wrote in his message. The contributions made overnight were so generous that the next morning he announced that the amount needed to free Soheil was collected.
According to an announcement Imam Ali charity society issued on its website Soheil will soon be released from prison. (Source: Tehran Times, Payvand News, 08/03/2017)