Torture/Death Penalty/Imminent Execution: Moussa Esfandiari Mehni (m)

Amnesty International:

PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 13/062/2005

27 September 2005

UA 256/05 Torture/Death Penalty/Imminent Execution

IRAN Moussa Esfandiari Mehni (m), aged 42, farmerFarmer

Moussa Esfandiari Mehni was sentenced to death in October 2004, apparently convicted of smuggling firearms and opium. He is alleged to have confessed under torture. The Supreme Court in Tehran is believed to have upheld the sentence this month. All death sentences in Iran must be upheld by the Supreme Court before they can be implemented, and he could now be executed at any time. The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Sayed ‘Ali Khamenei, has the power to grant clemency at this stage.

Moussa is married and has seven children. He lives near the town of Baft, in south-eastern Iran. He was allegedly tortured after he was arrested: this included burning, beatings and fake executions, in order to force him to confess. He is now held in Baft prison.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Amnesty International opposes the death penalty as the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment, in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a state party.