The death penalty and juveniles
Archive theme
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child prohibit the death penalty for crimes committed before the age of eighteen. It is one of the clearest prohibitions in international law, and yet sentences and executions continue to be documented against people who were minors at the time of the offence, often in proceedings where the age itself is disputed.
This page collects the news on those cases.
Latest news
JULY 29, 2019DEATH PENALTYIRAN: THREE PRISONERS EXECUTED FOR MURDER, DRUG TRAFFICKING
Three men were recently hanged in Iran for murder and drug trafficking.
- JULY 28, 2019IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN - Touraj Ghassemi (Qasemi), maybe a juvenile, was hanged at Nur prison on July 28.
IRAN - Touraj Ghassemi (Qasemi), maybe a juvenile, was hanged at Nur prison on July 28.
- DECEMBER 6, 2018IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER SEYYED-DANIAL ZEINOLABEDIN SENTENCED TO DEATH
Seyed Danial ZeinolAbedini is a juvenile offender whose death sentence has been upheld by the Supreme Court and is scheduled for execution, Iran Human Rights reported on 1 December 2018.
NOVEMBER 5, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
According to the Iranian newspaper Javan, a prisoner was sentenced to qisas (retribution in kind) on a murder charge, IHR reported on 1 November 201
OCTOBER 5, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPE-MURDER OF MINOR GIRL
A court of Assam on October 4, 2018 awarded death penalty to a man for the rape and murder of a 13-year-old tribal girl.
OCTOBER 2, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: A FEMALE JUVENILE OFFENDER AND FOUR MEN HANGED
Zeynab Sekanvand, a juvenile offender who was 17 years old when arrested for the murder of her husband, was executed on October 2, 2018 morning at Urmia prison along with four other prisoners.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
According to Javanonline website, the Criminal Court of Tehran has issued a verdict for Mehrdad for the third time and this time he is sentenced to death, Iranian Global Network reported on September 18, 2018.
SEPTEMBER 2, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER BEING EXECUTED IN 2018
IHR can confirm information about the execution of Abolfazl Naderi, a juvenile offender who was arrested at the age of 16 for an alleged murder.
JUNE 27, 2018IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER EXECUTED
According to Amnesty International sources, Abolfazl Chazani Sharahi, a juvenile offender charged with murder at the age of 15, was executed at Qom Central Prison.
- JUNE 8, 2018WashingtonDEATH PENALTY
WASHINGTON - JUVENILE RESENTENCED
SENTENCED TO DEATH IN 1990
- JUNE 8, 2018WashingtonDEATH PENALTY
USA - Washington. Juvenile resentenced
USA - Washington. Juvenile resentenced
- JANUARY 4, 2018DEATH PENALTY
IRAN HANGS MAN FOR RAPE, MURDER OF SIX-YEAR-OLD GIRL
Iran hanged a man convicted of raping and killing a six-year-old Afghan girl in a case that has shocked the nation, local media reported.
NOVEMBER 10, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: 3 GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE IN 2014 LONI MAVALA GANGRAPE AND MURDER CASE
A court in Maharashtra awarded the death sentence to three accused involved in the 2014 Loni Mavala gangrape and murder case.
MAY 8, 2017NigeriaDEATH PENALTYNIGERIA: COURT SENTENCES MINOR TO DEATH IN KOGI
A Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja sentenced a 15-year-old cattle rearer, Haruna Usman, to death for culpable homicide.
MAY 5, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: YOUNG MAN WALKS FREE FROM DEATH ROW
Salar Shadizadi, who was sentenced to death for a crime he committed when a child, was released after 10 years from Rasht prison in northern Iran.
- APRIL 4, 2017MaldivesDEATH PENALTY
MALDIVES: TWO MEN CONVICTED OF 2011 MURDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
The criminal court sentenced two men to death after handing down guilty verdicts over the murder of 25-year-old Ahmed Mirza Ibrahim in April 2011.
- FEBRUARY 10, 2017IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES OF SIX JUVENILE OFFENDERS
Iran has commuted death sentences against six juvenile offenders following UN criticism it was executing
JANUARY 15, 2017IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: JUVENILE OFFENDER EXECUTED IN KERMAN PRISON
Arman Bahr Asemani was hanged in Kerman Prison along with an older co-defendant, Shams Allah R.
DECEMBER 19, 2016United Arab EmiratesDEATH PENALTYUAE: DEATH ROW EMIRATI CONVICT WALKS FREE AFTER 14 YEARS
After languishing in jail for 14 years, waiting for a death penalty, an Emirati walked free recently as the court
NOVEMBER 27, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ANOTHER JUVENILE OFFENDER SENTENCED TO DEATH
Iran Human Rights has obtained information about an 18-year-old juvenile offender detained in Sanandaj
- AUGUST 3, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: TEENAGE STUDENT HANGED IN FIRST CHILD OFFENDER EXECUTION OF THE YEAR
Amnesty International has revealed that a teenager has been executed in Iran after being convicted of the
- JULY 27, 2016Saudi ArabiaDEATH PENALTY
SAUDI ARABIA: DEATH PENALTY ISSUED FOR SHIITE MINOR
The Specialised Criminal Court in Saudi Arabia issued its initial judgement, in which a death penalty sentence
- JUNE 8, 2016JapanDEATH PENALTY
The Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the defense team of Yutaro Chiba, 24, for murders he committed when he was a minor (he was 18 years and 7 months old). The decision was supported by all five justices.
The Supreme Court rejected an appeal from the defense team of Yutaro Chiba, 24, for murders he committed when he was a minor (he was 18 years and 7 months old). The decision was supported by all five justices.
- MAY 25, 2016IranDEATH PENALTY
Iran’s regime executed 11 prisoners in their twenties, including at least one who is believed to have been a minor at the time of his alleged offence.
Iran’s regime executed 11 prisoners in their twenties, including at least one who is believed to have been a minor at the time of his alleged offence.
MAY 25, 2016DEATH PENALTYIRAN: 14 PRISONERS EXECUTED IN TWO DAYS
14 prisoners have been executed in Iran in two days.
APRIL 1, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: ANOTHER JUVENILE OFFENDER IN SANANDAJ PRISON SENTENCED TO DEATH
According to the report of Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a juvenile offender (K.N) imprisoned at Sanandaj Prison, who at the time of crime was 17 years and 9 months old, was sentenced to death by retaliation in kind (Qisas) for murder.
JANUARY 20, 2016DEATH PENALTYIRAN: FIVE PRISONERS INCLUDING POSSIBLE JUVENILE OFFENDER HANGED
Iranian authorities have executed four prisoners in northern Iran and one prisoner in southern Iran who may have been under the age of 18 when he allegedly committed the murder that Iranian courts sentenced him to death for.
JANUARY 18, 2016IranDEATH PENALTYIRAN: 4 JUVENILE OFFENDERS EXECUTED IN SANANDAJ PRISON
Four juveniles have been hanged in Sanandaj prison, Iran.
DECEMBER 16, 2015PakistanDEATH PENALTYPAKISTAN: JUVENILE REPORTEDLY EXECUTED
Pakistan this morning reportedly executed Saqi Shah, who was arrested and convicted when he was 16 years old.
- NOVEMBER 7, 2015IranDEATH PENALTY
IRAN: KURDISH MINOR SENTENCED TO DEATH
An Iranian Kurdish teenager, convicted of murder, has been sentenced to death by Iranian judicial