Last Updated 1-31-97
WebMaster: Juan R.I. Cole
jrcole@umich.edu
Baha'is Threatened with Execution in Iran
EXTERNAL AI Index: MDE 13/07/97
30 January 1997
UA 33/97 Prisoners of conscience / Death penalty
IRAN Dhabihullah Mahrami
Musa Talibi
Amnesty International is extremely concerned that Dhabihullah
Mahrami and Musa Talibi may be at risk of imminent execution
following reports of the confirmation of their death sentences
by the Supreme Court.
Dhabihullah Mahrami and Musa Talibi are both Baha'is, a religious
minority which is not recognised in Iran, and have been sentenced
to death for apostasy. Both are accused of having converted to
Islam in the past and then having reverted to the Baha'i
religion.
Dhabihullah Mahrami was sentenced to death in January 1996 by a
Revolutionary Court in Yazd, central Iran. The death sentence
was later overturned by the Supreme Court for reasons which were
said to include the lack of competency of the Revolutionary Court
to try this case, which was referred back to a lower court for
reconsideration. Although Amnesty International has not received
details of when his retrial took place, recent reports indicate
that Dhabihullah Mahrami has been informed orally that his death
sentence has been confirmed by the Supreme Court.
Musa Talibi was arrested in June 1994 in Esfahan. In October
1994 he was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment on unknown
charges, which may have related to his religious beliefs or
activities. This sentence was later confirmed, but following an
appeal, he was retried in February 1995 and was sentenced to 18
months' imprisonment from the date of his arrest. However,
according to reports, the prosecution objected to his lighter
sentence, apparently on the grounds that Musa Talibi was an
apostate and that this had not been taken into consideration.
At a further trial in July 1996, Musa Talibi was sentenced to
death. His lawyer appealed against this sentence, but recent
reports indicate that he too was informed orally that his death
sentence has been confirmed.
Amnesty International believes both men are prisoners of
conscience, currently held solely on account of their religious
beliefs. It is calling for the death sentences against them to
be lifted and for them to be released immediately and
unconditionally.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Although apostasy is not a crime under the Iranian Penal Code,
people who convert to Islam from other religions, and then
reconvert (classed as 'national apostates' by the late leader of
the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Khomeini), can face trial
and execution. Ayatollah Khomeini in his writings defined the
punishment for 'national apostasy' as execution, if the person
refuses to repent. The judicial system in Iran considers
religious edicts, particularly those of eminent religious jurists
such as Ayatollah Khomeini, to be a parallel source of law to
acts of Parliament.
Freedom to hold or adopt the religion of one's choice is provided
for by Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a State Party. The
UN Human Rights Committee (the expert body charged with
interpreting the ICCPR), in July 1993 expressly recognized that
this article entails the right to replace one's current religion
with another, and that it bars coercion which would impair this
right, including the threat of physical force or penal sanctions.
Baha'is in Iran suffer systematic harassment and persecution.
At least 201 have been executed, most during the 1980s and
apparently in connection with their religious beliefs or
activities. Two other Baha'is, Kayvan Khalajabadi and Bihnam
Mithaqi, are currently on death row in Iran.
+-----------------------------------------------------------+
+ Supporters of Amnesty International around the world are +
+ writing urgent appeals in response to the concerns +
+ described above. If you would like to join with them in +
+ this action or have any queries about the Urgent Action +
+ network or Amnesty International in general, please +
+ contact one of the following: +
+ +
+ Ray Mitchell, rmitchellai@gn.apc.org (UK) +
+ Scott Harrison, sharrison@igc.apc.org (USA) +
+ Guido Gabriel, ggabriel@amnesty.cl.sub.de (Germany) +
+ Marilyn McKim, aito@web.apc.org (Canada) +
+ Xavier Zeebroeck, xzeebroek@aibf.be (Belgium) +
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