UN RIGHTS EXPERT BLASTS IRAN OVER JUVENILE EXECUTIONS

a UN human rights expert blasted Iran over the “unacceptable” executions of juvenile offenders. The UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial and summary executions, Philip Alston, stated that four juvenile offenders had been executed in the past two years, while death sentences against five other were "on hold". "It is time for Iran to demonstrate its commitment to international law," he said, calling on Tehran to "immediately commute" all death sentences imposed for crimes committed before the age of 18. Human Rights Watch stated this week that Iran "leads the world" in the execution of juveniles. The UN expert insisted that Iran had made a "clear and unambiguous commitment" on the issue when it ratified the international Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1994.