Ban calls Iran to halt death penalty execution

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reaffirmed UN opposition to the imposition of death penalty, and called today on the Government of Iran to establish a moratorium on executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty.
Ban is deeply saddened by the news of the execution of two juvenile offenders last week in Iran, said his press office in a statement.
UN Chief is concerned that these two executions reflect a worrying trend in Iran, the statement added. "Over 700 executions are reported to have taken place so far this year, including at least 40 public, marking the highest total recorded in the past 12 years," it added.
The statement confirmed that the majority of executions were imposed for drug-related offences, crimes that do not meet the threshold of the "most serious crimes" as required by international law.
The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child both ratified by Iran, prohibits the imposition of the death penalty for crimes committed by persons below 18 years of age.