280 executions in 2019, and 267 in 2020.13 In 2019, Iran had the second highest number of
reported executions, behind China.14 15 16
OHCHR continues to receive reports indicating that death sentences are issued after proceedings
that do not respect due process and fair trial standards.17 18 The NGOs Abdorrahman Boroumand
Center, Iran Human Rights Documentation Center, Impact Iran and Human Rights Activists in
Iran, documented numerous violations of fair trial in the Islamic Republic of Iran as provided
under Article 14 of the ICCPR. These include violations of the right to legal counsel and to
choose a lawyer, the right to appeal, the use of arbitrary arrests, the use of forced confessions as
evidence, and a lack of independence of the judiciary.19
The Islamic Republic of Iran has not taken all necessary steps to prohibit executions that are
inconsistent with accepted standards of international human rights law. The Islamic Republic of
Iran has also not yet taken significant steps to amend its legislation to comply with Article 6 of
the International Covenant on Civil and Political, except for initial amendments to the law on
drug trafficking.
B. Take steps to bring its legislation in compliance with Article 37(a) of the
Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Islamic Penal Code (2013)20 establishes the age of criminal responsibility at 9 lunar years
for girls and 15 lunar years for boys.21 However, the age of responsibility for ta’zir crimes
(crimes for which fixed penalties are not provided in Islamic law giving the judge discretion as to
the sentence imposed) is 18 years for all children. For these crimes, convicted children are
sentenced to correctional measures. In contrast, criminal responsibility for crimes punishable by
hudud (punishments fixed by God) or qisas (punishment or retribution in kind), which carry
mandatory punishments such as death, is maintained at the age of “maturity” that is 9 lunar years
13
ECPM, Iran Human Rights, https://www.ecpm.org/wp-content/uploads/Rapport-iran-2020-gb-070420-WEB.pdf
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/04/death-penalty-in-2019-facts-and-figures/
15
See more: Abdorrahman Boroumand Center https://www.iranrights.org/projects/omidmap
16
See more: Human Rights Activists in Iran https://www.en-hrana.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Annual-Reportof-Executions-2019.pdf
17
See the report of the Secretary-General on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran available
from www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/RegularSessions/Session37/Pages/ ListReports.aspx; and A/73/299
18
https://documents-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/G20/021/53/PDF/G2002153.pdf?OpenElement
19
Abdorrahman Boroumand Center (ABC), Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC), Impact Iran,
Human Rights Activists in Iran,
https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=INT%2fCCPR%2fICS%2fIR
N%2f42313&Lang=en
20
Article 146 and 147, Islamic Penal Code (2013), English translation, Iran Human Rights Documentation Center,
https://iranhrdc.org/english-translation-of-books-i-ii-of-the-new-islamic-penal-code/
21
Article 1210, note 1
14
3