Many brave efforts go un-noticed by the society, since they are considered insignificant. But to actually get punished for your act of heroism, just because some age-old traditions/laws demands so – is completely horrendous.
This is the story of 18 year-old Nazanin who has been sentenced death by hanging by the Iranian court – for defending herself and her 16-year-old niece from being raped by three men. During the attack she drew a knife and stabbed one of the attackers. Her impulse action helped drive the attackers away and save herself and her cousin from a dreadful ordeal.
The Iranian law system which is still stuck in some stone-age era, instead of punishing the guilty men have arrested, tried and found Nazanin guilty of a so called ‘Self defense’ crime. Her repeated appeals have been rejected by the Sharia Court and if no international pressure is exerted on the Iranian government, she is most-likely to be awarded with death for bravery.
Nazanin Afshin-Jam (Canadian singer and former Miss World Canada) along with other Canadian singers have taken the responsibility of spreading Nazanin’s cause world-wide.
Explaining the reason behind her effort she said,
“Nazanin’s case is particularly concerning because Iran is a state party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and is therefore under obligation NOT to impose the death penalty on those under the age of 18. Nevertheless, Amnesty International has recorded 18 executions of child offenders in Iran since 1990. In 2005 alone, at least eight executions of child offenders were recorded. Nazanin was 17 years old at the time of commission of the offense and therefore Iran is in breachâ€.
Hopefully the injustice done upon Nazanin would be taken up by the world-council and their pressure on the Iranian government would help in stopping a dreadful act from taking place.
I request fellow bloggers to help in Nazanin’s case by spreading her story around and also signing an online petition, asking the Iranian government to release her.
*Detailed story on Desicritics.
[...] The Iranians are guilty of many other things than just developing nuclear weapons. Saakshi shares a terrifying tale of paying the price for self-defense. This is the story of 18 year-old Nazanin who has been sentenced death by hanging by the Iranian court – for defending herself and her 16-year-old niece from being raped by three men. During the attack she drew a knife and stabbed one of the attackers. Her impulse action helped drive the attackers away and save herself and her cousin from a dreadful ordeal. [...]
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