A/HRC/19/82 publicly in Khwajawi Square Karman. 12 On 14 December 2011, media reports that a man who had cut his wrist a few minutes before his scheduled execution and was reportedly bleeding heavily was hanged publicly in Danesh Square of Shahre Kord.13 On 13 December 2011, two people accused of kidnapping and rape were reportedly publicly executed in the town of Rostam, Fars Province.14 C. Execution of juvenile offenders 13. In a welcome development, the new Islamic Penal Code revokes capital punishment for persons under the age of 18 charged with certain crimes, such as smuggling narcotics. The law does not, however, increase the age of criminal liability of children, raising serious concern that children accused of murder may continue to face the death penalty. For example, in cases of attempted premeditated murder, persons under the age of 18 may remain in juvenile correction centres and be executed after reaching the legal age. 15 However, during its visit to Tehran in December 2011, the OHCHR delegation was informed by the authorities that the number of juvenile executions had dropped dramatically, and that offences committed by persons under the age of 18 were tried in children’s courts, where efforts were being made to apply lenient punishments. The authorities also pointed out that, even in cases of qisas (retribution), regarded under Iranian law as the private right of the victim’s family and which cannot be overruled by the judiciary, extensive efforts were being made by the Conciliation Commission of the judiciary to encourage families of the victim and perpetrator to reach a diyah (blood money) settlement. They also informed the delegation that the Government’s policy was to encourage the next of kin to forfeit the right to qisas, and that each year specific funds were earmarked by the Ministry of Justice to assist those convicted to pay the diyah settlement. 14. Against this backdrop, recurring cases of juvenile executions remain a serious cause for concern. On 22 September 2011, the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment publicly condemned the practice of juvenile executions in the Islamic Republic of Iran, and noted that, despite the repeated calls of the international community’s for a moratorium, three juveniles had been executed in public that year. 16 These cases included the public execution on 21 September 2011 of 17-year-old Alireza Molla Soltani. The experts stressed that there was an absolute ban on the death penalty against persons under the age of 18 under international human rights law, and that any judgements imposing the death penalty upon juveniles below the age of 18, and their execution, were incompatible with the country’s international obligations. 15. On 11 February 2011, the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial and summary execution, in a 12 13 14 15 16 6 Ibid., 20 January 2012. Available from www.isna.ir/isna/newsView.aspx?ID=News1933892&lang=p. Ibid., 14 December 2011. Available from http://isna.ir/isNA/newsView.aspx?ID=News-1909371. Ibid., 13 December 2011. Available from http://isna.ir/isNA/newsView.aspx?ID=News-1909382. Ibid., 20 February 2012. Available from www.isna.ir/ISNA/NewsView.aspx?ID=News1952901&Lang=P. See “Iran: UN experts condemn public execution of juvenile and reiterate call for immediate halt on death penalty” at www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=11415&LangID=E.