Issue 29

“I committed this crime trying to defend myself and my niece — from being raped.” 18 year old Nazanin said in an Iranian court, defending herself, “I had no intention of killing the man. At that moment I didn’t know what to do because nobody came to help us.”

Naznin’s testimony was ignored by the court which later condemned her to death. All the evidence and eye-witnessed testimonies were also ignored.

The attackers were all members of the suppressive paramilitary Bassij force in the city of Karaj. Attacking Basij is equivalent of acting against God and it goes with a death punishment.

What is more mind-boggling is the fact that Nazanin was 17 when this all happened.

We call on all women’s rights and Human Rights organizations to condemn this sentence and act to prevent Nazanin’s execution.