Atefeh Sahaaleh
Atefeh Rajabi Sahaaleh عاطفه رجبی سهاله | |
---|---|
Born | September 21, 1987 |
Died | August 15, 2004 (aged 16) Neka, Iran |
Criminal status | Pardoned after execution |
Conviction(s) | Adultery and crimes against chastity |
Criminal penalty | Death by hanging |
Atefeh Rajabi Sahaaleh (Persian: عاطفه رجبی سهاله; – September 21, 1987 – August 15, 2004) was an Iranian girl from the town of Neka who was executed a week after being sentenced to death by Haji Rezai, head of Neka's court, on charges of adultery and crimes against chastity.
Numerous Iranian journalists and lawyers had "strong evidence that the judiciary had broken Iran's own law in executing Atefah", but this was difficult to show because of Iran's press censorship.[1]
Early life[]
This section does not cite any sources. (July 2018) |
Born in Mashhad, Atefeh's mother died in a car accident when she was five. Shortly after, her younger brother is said to have drowned in a river. Her father became a drug addict, and she was forced to care for her octogenarian grandparents. Despite her attention to their needs they are reported to have completely ignored her. She was described as a "lively and intelligent girl."
Arrest[]
Atefeh was convicted for crimes against chastity after being raped repeatedly by Ali Darabi, an 51-year-old ex-revolutionary guard turned taxi driver. Darabi was a married man with children at the time.[2]
Atefeh had been raped by Darabi over a period of 3 years without her family being aware.[3] While in prison she was further allegedly tortured and raped by prison guards. She told this to her grandmother who visited her saying that afterwards she could only walk on all fours because of the pain.[4] The judge in her case was Haji Rezai. When Atefah realized that she was losing her case, she removed her hijab, an act seen as a severe contempt of the court, and argued that Ali Darabi should be punished, not her. She even removed her shoes and threw them at the judge.[5] Rezai later sentenced her to death.
According to the BBC, the documents presented to the Supreme Court of Appeal described her as 22 years old, but her birth certificate and death certificate stated that she was 16. The issue of her age was not brought to proper attention before it was too late.
Amnesty International and other organisations claimed that she suffered from psychological illness, both before and at the trial.
Execution[]
She was publicly hanged from a crane in Neka on August 15, 2004. Amnesty International and other organizations declared her execution to be a crime against humanity and against children of the world.[6]
Aftermath[]
After the execution of Atefeh, Iranian media reported that Judge Rezai and several militia members, including Captain Zabihi and Captain Molai, were arrested by the Intelligence Ministry. The execution is considered controversial because as a signatory of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Iran promised not to execute anyone under the age of 18. Atefeh's father had passed her birth certificate to the civil authorities, lawyers involved, journalists and Judge Rezai. Pursuant to continual complaints filed by Atefeh's family, and heavy international pressure about her execution and the way the judge mishandled the case, the Supreme Court of Iran issued an order to pardon Atefeh.
Documentaries[]
The case of Atefeh Sahaaleh is the subject of a BBC documentary made by Wild Pictures in 2006. and went undercover to document the case.[7] It is also the subject of an hour-long Discovery Times program called Execution in Iran.
See also[]
- Human rights in Iran
- Delara Darabi
- Nazanin Fatehi
- Reza Alinejad
- Mosleh Zamani
- Stop Child Executions Campaign
- List of miscarriage of justice cases
- Women's rights in Iran
References[]
- ^ "Death of a teenager". Guardian.
- ^ "Programmes | Execution of a teenage girl". BBC News. July 27, 2006. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
- ^ Garnsey, Monica (August 14, 2006), Execution of a Teenage Girl, BBC News, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved June 8, 2012
- ^ Garnsey, Monica (July 28, 2006). "Death of a teenager". The Guardian. London.
- ^ Garnsey, Monica (August 14, 2006), Execution of a Teenage Girl, BBC News, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved June 8, 2012
- ^ "Document". www.amnesty.org.
- ^ "Execution of a Teenage Girl". BBC News. 27 June 2006. Archived from the original on August 22, 2006. Retrieved 2006-07-27.
External links[]
- Women's rights in Iran
- Sharia in Asia
- Executed Iranian people
- 1987 births
- 2004 deaths
- Executed Iranian women
- 21st-century executions by Iran
- Executed children
- Executed juvenile offenders
- People from Mazandaran Province
- People executed for adultery
- People executed by Iran by hanging
- People from Neka