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Iran-HRM – Execution of minor offender suffering from mental issues is imminent, reports indicate.
Mohammad Agha Khani, the lawyer of Mohammad Kalhor who was sentenced to death for murdering his teacher at the age of 15, said that his client’s execution was imminent.
Mohammad Kalhor is a student from Borujerd who stabbed his 43-year-old physics teacher, identified as Mohsen Khashkahni, on November 22, 2014 when he was only 15 years old.
Agha Khani said that the implementation of the sentence was confirmed by the head of the Judiciary adding that the case was sent for implementation and that his client might be imminently executed.
In January 2015, the forensic authority examined the mental development of Mohammad Kalhor and stated that his actions had not been carried out through intelligence and reason. Reports also indicate that Mohammad’s consultant in the Central Lorestan Correctional Center said that he had no rational recognition at the time of the murder.
However, the 1st Branch of the Lorestan Criminal Court, as a court of first instance, refused to impose Article 91 of the Islamic Penal Code, and sentenced Mohammad to death on February 2015.
The verdict was then overturned in the 31st Branch of the Supreme Court and on August 28, 2016, was seen to again in the 2nd Branch of the Lorestan Penal Court. The court once again sentenced Mohammad to death in February 2016, which was confirmed by the Supreme Court.
“Mr. Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the Chairman for the Committee for Foreign Policy and National Security in Majlis, who also represents Borujerd in the parliament, wrote a letter, upon the request of the victim’s parents, to the Supreme Court branch seeing to the case and requested that they pay special attention to the case to help the victim’s parents”, Mohammad’s lawyer said.
“In light of the letter and another request from the parliamentarian representative of the Ministry of Education, who was Mr. Goudarzi at the time, the Supreme Court did not follow the law and confirmed Mohammad’s sentence”, he added.
“We appealed for the third time but still have not received a response from the Supreme Court. In light of our two previous appeals being refused and since the sentence has been confirmed, we are concerned that the execution can be carried out at any moment”, Mohammad Agha Khani said.
“Mohammad needs medical attention and therapy which he has not been considered”, he added.
Reports indicate that Mohammad Kalhor, who is now 18, was transferred in late February, from the correctional facility to the Central Borujerd Prison, which is for adults. His case was simultaneously sent for implementation.
