Atefah Sahaaleh

Atefeh Rajabi Sahaaleh عاطفه رجبی سهاله
Born	ca. 1982 or 1988
Died	August 15, 2004 (aged 16 or 22) Neka, Iran
Conviction(s)	adultery and "crimes against chastity"
Penalty	Death by hanging
Status	Deceased

Atefeh Rajabi Sahaaleh (Persian: عاطفه رجبی سهاله‎; – 1988 - August 15, 2004) was alleged to be a 16-year-old Mazandarani Iranian girl from the town of Neka, Iran who was executed a week after being sentenced to death by Haji Rezai, head of Neka's court on charges of adultery and "crimes against chastity".

After the execution of Atefeh, Iranian media reported that Judge Rezai and several militia members, including Captain Zabihi and Captain Molai, were arrested by the Intelligence Ministry. The execution is controversial because as a signatory of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Iran promised not to execute anyone under the age of 18. Atefah's father had passed her birth certificate to the civil authorities, lawyers involved, journalists and Judge Rezai. Pursuant to continual complaints filed by Atefeh's family, and heavy international pressure about her execution and the way the judge mishandled the case, the Supreme Court of Iran issued an order to free Atefeh.

Early life

Atefeh's mother died in a car accident when she was five. Shortly after, her younger brother is said to have drowned in a river. Her father became a drug addict, and she was forced to care for her octogenarian grandparents. Despite her attending to their needs they are reported to have completely ignored her. She grew up in the town of Neka, Iran and was described as a 'lively and intelligent girl,' whom everyone knew, and was often seen wandering free on the streets. She was called "gypsy of Neka" by the locals, as she was not restrained in her behavior.

It is said that she was arrested five times by the time she was 16 and convicted each time for sex outside marriage and given 100 lashes.

Final arrest

She was convicted for ‘crimes against chastity’, based on her admission, obtained through torture, that she had repeatedly had sex with a 51-year-old ex-revolutionary guard turned taxi-driver Ali Darabi, a married man with children. She kept the relationship, which lasted over three years, a secret from both her family and the authorities. However, while in prison, she finally told her grandmother, saying that afterwards she could only walk on all fours because of the pain. In the court the judge was Haji Rezai. As Atefah realised she was losing her case, she removed her hijab, an act seen as a severe contempt of the court, and argued that Ali Darabi should be punished, not she. She even removed her shoes and hit the judge with them. The judge later sentenced her to death.

According to the BBC, the documents presented to the Supreme Court of Appeal described her as 22 years old, but her birth certificate and death certificate stated that she was 16. The issue of her age was not brought to proper attention before it was too late.

Amnesty International and other organisations claimed that she suffered from psychological illness, both before and at the trial.

Execution

She was publicly hanged from a crane in Neka, Iran, on August 15, 2004. The judge in her case, Haji Rezai, allegedly also applied the noose himself.

Amnesty International and other organizations declared her killing to be a crime against humanity and against children of the world.

BBC Undercover - "Execution of a Teenage Girl"

The case of Atefeh Sahaaleh is the subject of a BBC documentary made by Wild Pictures. Director, Monica Garnsey and Associate Producer, Arash Sahami went undercover to document the case. It is also the subject of an hour-long Discovery Times program called "Execution in Iran."

See also

• Human rights in Iran
• Delara Darabi
• Nazanin Fatehi
• Reza Alinejad
• Mosleh Zamani
• Stop Child Executions Campaign

External links

• Execution of a teenage girl BBC
• Execution of a teenage girl BBC Documentary Video
• Amnesty International statement
• The Execution of Atefeh Rajabi
• Media | Death of a teenager (Guardian UK July 27, 2006)