[JURIST] UN human rights experts on Friday condemned Iran’s execution [press release] of a juvenile offender convicted of murdering her husband whom she was forced to marry at the age of 16. Fatemeh Salbehi was executed on Tuesday despite several reports of flaws in her trial and appeals process. The UN rights experts pointed to her age at the time of the marriage and the allegations of domestic abuse as reasons why her case should have received more consideration. The experts also reported that Iran executed another juvenile in secret the week before. UN Special Rapporteur on summary executions [official website] Cristof Heyns stated, “[l]et us be clear—these are unlawful killings committed by the State, the equivalent of murders performed by individuals. These are profound tragedies that demean the value of human life and sully the reputation of the country.” He added that “executing a juvenile offender, especially after a questionable trial, directly contravenes the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights [text] and the Convention on the Rights of the Child [text], to which Iran is a party. Iran must immediately stop killing children.”

Much international pressure has been directed toward Iran in recent years for its use of the death penalty. In February Iran reportedly executed [JURIST report] Saman Naseem, a juvenile offender who was 17 years old when sentenced to death, despite international pressure to halt the execution. UN experts urged [JURIST report] Iran last year to halt the execution of Reyhaneh Jabbari. Jabbari was eventually executed [JURIST report] despite international opposition. In June of last year former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay condemned [JURIST report] Iran’s use of the death penalty for juvenile offenders and called on authorities to halt the announced execution of Razieh Ebrahimi, who was 14 years old when sentenced to death. Also that June a group of independent UN human rights experts condemned Iran’s execution [JURIST report] of a political prisoner, calling for the country to end the death penalty.