28 September 2024 :
September 27, 2024 - IRAN. Arvin Ghahremani, a young Jewish man on death row for murder, is at imminent risk of execution in Kermanshah Central Prison after his appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court once again. The victim’s family who previously agreed to accept blood money in lieu of execution, have rejected the blood money due to Arvin’s religion.
Calling for an immediate halt to Arvin Ghahremani’s execution, Iran Human Rights urges the international community and countries with diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic authorities, to prioritise human rights, and the death penalty in particular, in their meetings and negotiations to save Arvin’s life.
IHR Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said: "In addition to the inhumanity of the death penalty and the lack of fair trial rights or an independent judiciary, the judicial process of Arvin Ghahremani as a member of a religious minority in the Islamic Republic, where discrimination is institutionalised, has been more unfair than usual. At this point, only international pressure can save Arvin’s life.”
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, Arvin Ghahremani’s appeal has been rejected by the Supreme Court again. And while the victim’s family had originally chosen to accept diya (blood money) in lieu of a retribution execution, they rejected the demanded sum after finding out Arvin was Jewish.
Arvin Ghahremani is a 20-year-old Jewish man who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder during a street group fight when he was 18 years old. According to his family, when the victim attacked Arvin with a cold weapon, he took the weapon and defended himself. Arvin did everything to save his life after injuring him but the victim died after medical assistance was delayed in reaching him.
At trial, Arvin’s court-appointed lawyer did not effectively defend his client for unknown reasons and his right to self-defence was not properly presented in the case.
Despite evidence of his innocence, Arvin was tried by the Islamic Republic judiciary which systematically violates due process and fair trial rights.
Arvin’s previous appeal was also rejected without serious consideration and many important events leading to the stabbing were ignored.
In an audio message previously obtained by IHRNGO, Arvin Ghahremani’s mother, Sonia Saadati appealed for help to save her son’s life.
Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness. Crucially, while an indicative amount is set by the Judiciary every year, there is no legal limit to how much can be demanded by families of the victims. IHRNGO has recorded many cases where defendants are executed because they cannot afford to pay the blood money. On his case see also HoC 17/05/2024 and 24/05/2024.
https://iranhr.net/en/articles/6945/
