GENEVA: The UN voiced outrage Friday over the death of a juvenile offender in Iran following reported beatings by guards after prisoners protested seeking their release due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United Nations rights office said it had received information that Daniel Zeinolabedini died after suffering beatings following a riot in Mahabad prison in Iran’s West Azerbaijan Province on March 28.
“We are horrified at the death of a juvenile offender after he was reportedly badly beaten by security officers,” spokesman Rupert Colville told reporters in Geneva in a virtual briefing.
He said prisoners at Mahabad had been protesting against their “prison conditions and the failure of the authorities to temporarily release them amid the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Iran, which has been hit hard by the pandemic, has released some 100,000 prisoners, or around 40 percent of its entire prison population, to reducing crowding.
Zeinolabedini, who was on death row for a murder he allegedly committed in September 2017 at the age of 17, was put in solitary confinement and beaten by security officials at Mahabad.
He was then transferred to Miandoab prison in the same region, where he also suffered abuse, according to information provided to the rights office.
“His family said he called them on March 31 to tell them he had been badly beaten, could hardly breathe and desperately needed help. His death was confirmed on April 2,” Colville said.
The rights office said it was “particularly shocked” at Zeinolabedini’s case, since his conviction and death sentence were upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court, despite death sentences for crimes committed by minors being strictly prohibited by international law.
Colville stressed that Zeinolabedini had continued to profess his innocence.
“We call on the Iranian authorities to immediately conduct an independent and impartial investigation into Zeinolabedini’s death and hold those responsible to account,” he said.
’We are also concerned at the fate of six other people who were also reportedly beaten during the riot on March 28 and taken to Miandoab prison,” he added, urging Iranian authorities “to take all measures to protect their lives.”
UN ‘horrified’ as young offender dies in Iran after guard beating
https://arab.news/wf2uc
UN ‘horrified’ as young offender dies in Iran after guard beating
- The United Nations rights office said it had received information that Daniel Zeinolabedini died after suffering beatings following a riot in Mahabad prison
- Zeinolabedini was put in solitary confinement and beaten by security officials
World Government Summit 2026 set to be largest ever
- 35 world leaders confirmed, says WGS’ Mohammad Al-Gergawi
- ‘Because the challenges of the future cannot be tackled alone’
DUBAI: This year’s World Government Summit will be the largest in the event’s history, said Mohammad Al-Gergawi, the WGS foundation’s chairman, on Friday.
Speaking at an event at the Museum of the Future, Al-Gergawi said 35 heads of state and government officials have confirmed their attendance, including Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, and Switzerland’s President Guy Parmelin.
The WGS is an annual event held in Dubai which explores governance, and focuses on harnessing innovation and technology to solve universal challenges facing humanity.
Al-Gergawi said 24 side events would take place during the summit including forums on artificial intelligence, education, and sustainability.
Over 35 ministerial meetings are on the program including the Ministerial Roundtable with Arab Youth Ministers, Future of Tourism Roundtable, and Sustainable Development Goals Global Council Launch.
Al-Gergawi said four honors would be awarded during the summit, for best minister, most reformed government, sustainability, and best teacher.
He added that the world’s largest global gathering of Nobel laureates would take place during the summit.
“The World Laureate Summit aims to host a platform for laureates to present scientific solutions for problems governments are facing and will invite 50 laureates from various disciplines,” he explained.
Al-Gergawi said the WGS aims to play a key role in boosting collaboration between the private and public sectors.
“The success of the summit depends on the presence of governments, international organizations and the sector that shapes the future, the private sector,” he said.
“The success of the summit is directly linked to partnerships. Each partnership and initiative launched contributes to overcoming challenges in the future,” he added.
“The World Government Summit gathers everyone because the challenges of the future cannot be tackled alone,” Al-Gergawi said.
The summit takes place at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah from Feb. 3 to 5.
