Iran Human Rights, July 30: According to reports from Iran, the blinding sentence of Majid Movahedi will be implemented in Tehran early Sunday morning. Acid is set to be dripped in both his eyes.
In November 2008, a court in the Iranian capital Tehran sentenced Majid Movahedi to “blindness in both eyes” by ten drops of sulfuric acid for splashing acid on Ameneh Bahrami’s face in 2004. She had allegedly spurned his marriage proposals. Ameneh Bahrami’s face became disfigured and she lost the sight in both eyes as a result of the injury. The sentence was approved by the Iranian Supreme Court in February 2009.
The sentence was scheduled to be implemented on May 14th but was postponed, probably due to the massive international attention the case received.
According to Alarabiya, Iranian authorities have decided to implement the verdict before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins on August 1st. The news has also been confirmed on the Ameneh Bahrami Facebook page. It stated: “Ameneh’s retribution sentence will be implemented at 6:00am tomorrow.”
The sentence was approved by the Iranian Supreme Court in February 2009.
Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of Iran Human Rights (IHR) strongly condemned what he called a “barbaric and grotesque” punishment. He said, ”The international community must not let this barbaric punishment to happen.” He added, ”Leaders of the Iranian regime should be held responsible for the barbaric and grotesque punishment of dripping acid in Majid’s eyes. These types of sentences are only meant to spread fear among the people and will, without a doubt, promote even more violence in the Iranian society.”
Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam has asked the assigned doctors to not take part in the barbaric act of retribution because, if they do, they will be breaking their professional oath.
Regarding the discriminatory laws against women in Iran, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said, “By being a woman, Ameneh is also a victim of the Iranian regime’s gender apartheid politics. Iranian authorities encourage violence against women. According to the Iranian laws, a woman who is not covered properly can be lashed up to 74 times, so the authorities are also responsible for the growing violence against women in the Iranian society, like Ameneh’s case.”
Background:
In 2004, Majid Movahedi was convicted of pouring acid on the face of Ameneh Bahrami, 27, a young woman he allegedly wished to marry.
As a result of the injuries, Ameneh Bahrami lost her sight in one eye and most of her sight in the other eye. She has been going through numerous surgical operations on her face and eyes to reverse the damage.
In 2008, a court in Tehran sentenced Majid Movahedi to Qesas (retribution, eye-for-an-eye). He was sentenced to lose the sight in both his eyes and to provide Ameneh Bahrami with economic compensation.
The Iranian Supreme Court approved the sentence in February 2009. According to the sentence issued by the court, ten drops of sulfuric acid will be dripped into each of Majid Movahedi’s eyes.
The punishment is set to take effect on the morning of July 31st.
Acid blinding sentence of the man who attacked with acid to be carried out tomorrow
Majid Movahed, the defendant in the acid attack case, has been transferred from the Rjaei Shahr Prison to the central investigation unit of the Police Station.
The Prosecutor has informed Majid Movahed’s lawyer that his sentence has to be carried out before the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. One more day is left until the sentenec is carried out.
According to the Human Rights House of Iran, the sentenec is to be carried out tomorrow at 6 am and the man is to be blinded in both eyes.
Movahed had thrown a jar of acid in the face of Ameneh Bahrami after she refused his marriage proposal. She lost both her eyes in the incident.
Recently, Parliament member Soleiman Zaker had said that “blinding with acid is is the application of the sharia’s “eye for an eye” laws.” He had added that “delay in the execution of the sentence and the ignorance of victims and their families has led to more acid attacks.”
He had requested that the victims of acid attacks should not ignore the Qisas sentence.
Ameneh Bahrami has retuned to Iran last week in order to carry out the sentence.
Persian Article:
http://www.rahana.org/archives/42927
Source:
rahana, July 30, 2011
Jul 31, 2011 UPDATE
May 14, 2011
"Regardless of how horrific the crime suffered by Ameneh Bahrami, being blinded with acid is a cruel and inhuman punishment amounting to torture, and the Iranian authorities have a responsibility under international law ...
Dec 15, 2008
ameneh bahrami refused to accept "blood money." she insisted instead that her attacker suffer a fate similar to her own "so people like him would realize they do not have the right to throw acid in girls' faces," she told the tehran ...
