[Deathpenalty] death penalty news----worldwide

[Rick Halperin]

URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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08 March 2007
UA 59/07    Death penalty/imminent execution

IRAN
      Mohebbat Mahmoudi (f), aged 45


A Kurdish woman, Mohebbat Mahmoudi, was convicted of murder
and sentenced to death in 2004. The Supreme Court has
reportedly upheld her death sentence, which was reportedly
announced to her some time between 12 and 17 February, and
she is now at imminent risk of execution.

Mohebbat Mahmoudi, from Oroumiye, West Azarbaijan province,
was arrested in April or May 2001 in connection with the
murder of a man whose name was reported only as ''Hatam M''.
On 1 April 2004, the Oroumiye General Court found her guilty
of murder and sentenced her to death (as qesas or
''retribution in kind''). The appeal court of West
Azarbaijan province upheld this verdict, as did the Supreme
Court.

Mohebbat Mahmoudi's lawyer reportedly did not represent her
adequately at the trial.

Under Iranian law, the family of a murder victim may accept
compensation (diyeh, or ''blood money'') in lieu of
execution. The family in this case has reportedly rejected
this option. However, the judiciary's Council for the
Resolution of Differences (in Persian, the Shoura-ye Hal-e
Ekhtelaf) is empowered to mediate between the families of
the victim and of the prisoner, with a view to having the
victim's family come to an agreement to forgo their right to
retribution and accept the payment of blood money. This body
appears to have not been called, though they are known to
have intervened in a number of other high-profile cases..

Similarly, the judiciary's Amnesty and Clemency Commission
(Komisyon-e 'Afv va Bakhshoudegi) is empowered to examine
cases in order to recommend a pardon or the reduction of a
given sentence. This body appears not to have been consulted
in this case.

Mohebbat Mahmoudi is married and has several children.


BACKGROUND INFORMATION
In 2006, at least 177 people were executed in Iran, at least
four of whom were women. At least four of them were under 18
at the time of the alleged offence, including one who was
under 18 at the time of execution. Two people were
reportedly stoned to death. Sentences of flogging,
amputation and eye-gouging were passed, though these have
always attracted international condemnation. The true
numbers of those executed or subjected to corporal
punishment were probably considerably higher than those
reported.


RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly
as possible:
- stating that Amnesty International recognizes the right
and responsibility of governments to bring to justice those
suspected of criminal offences, but opposes the death
penalty as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading
punishment;
- urging parliamentarians from Oroumiye and the head of
Office for Diyeh and Assistance to Needy Prisoners to refer
the case of Mohebbat Mahmoudi to both the Council for the
Resolution of Differences and the Amnesty and Clemency
Commission, to examine whether effective defense was
provided to Mohabbat Mahmoudi at the first trial, with a
view to commuting the death sentence.


APPEALS TO:
Office for Diyeh and Assistance to Needy Prisoners:
Setad-e Diyeh va Komak be Zendaniyan-e Niyazmand
Executive Director, Yahya Soltani
Artesh Street, opposite Jihad-e Khane Sazi, Central Building
Oroumiye, Islamic Republic of Iran

Parliamentary representatives for Oroumiye:
Javad Jahangirzadeh, Mohammad Abbaspour and Abed Fatahi
Majles-e Shoura-ye Eslami
Baharestan Square
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax:  011 98 21 3355 6408
e-mail:     hadadadel at majlis.ir (in the subject line, please
write: ''For the attention of Oroumiye representatives'')
Salutation:       Dear Sirs


COPIES TO:
Head of the Judiciary:
His Excellency Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Ministry of Justice
Park-e Shahr
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Fax:  011 98 21 3 311 6567 (Mark: ''Please forward to HE
Ayatollah Shahroudi'')
Salutation:       Your Excellency

Acting Director, Oroumiye Prison:
Morad Fatahi, Acting Director
Oroumiye Central Prison
Darya Street
Oroumiye, Islamic Republic of Iran

Iran does not presently have an embassy in this country.
Instead, please send copies to:
Iranian Interests Section
2209 Wisconsin Ave NW
Washington DC 20007
Phone: 202 965 4990
Fax: 202 965 1073
Email: requests at daftar.org


Please send appeals immediately. Check with the AIUSA Urgent
Action office if sending appeals after 19 April 2007.

Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement
that promotes and defends human rights.

This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including
contact information and stop action date (if applicable).
Thank you for your help with this appeal.

Urgent Action Network
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE 5th fl
Washington DC 20003
Email: uan at aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax:     202.675.8566

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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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