CAIRO: Iranian human rights activist and writer Emad Baghi, in collaboration with the Cairo-based Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) and The International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran have published an Arabic translation of a study titled “Child Executions: A study of roots and proposed intellectual and jurispurdential solutions.” The 2009 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights winner, Baghi, has been a tireless advocate of ending the use of the death penalty by asserting Islamic principles. The new book presents research on how child executions affect society and highlights how a number of Islamic countries have ended this practice by employing Islamic ideology. According to a statement released by ANHRI, Baghi's study “is based on arguments of the Islamic and international laws and concludes with the necessity of abolishing the death penalty in general, and ending execution of child offenders, persons convicted of crimes they committed under the age of 18, in specific.” The newest installment is the second part of Baghi's research, called “Right to Life,” which focuses on the abolishment of the execution of children. In the text, the Iranian human rights defender asserts that the Islamic world can achieve the ending of this practice through”Islamic laws and arguments that prove that Islamic countries can eradicate this penalty.” ANHRI asserts that the author “attempts to analyze the intellectual and jurisprudential backgrounds for executing children under 18 years old in countries that depend on Islamic arguments in their legislations, Iran being one of them, thereby reaching the conclusion of the necessity of abolishing this punishment.” The study looks at Qur'anic verses, Islamic jurisprudence and human rights principles in order to make the argument against executing minors. The new text is being received well in Egypt, say human rights leaders. The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights in Cairo said they have not read the new book, but “hope it will enlighten the region on how to deal with this important and detrimental aspect of human rights.” The book, and its first part, has been banned in Iran, “because of its bold arguments in criticizing the penal codes in Iran and due to Baghi's objection to some interpretations of Islamic laws.” Baghi was jailed and sent to Evin prison in Tehran over the texts, ANHRI reported. During his imprisonment, the Iranian completed the second part of his work. He was released in July 2008. “Because of his outstanding efforts in defending human rights, specifically speaking in abolishing the death penalty, Baghi was awarded the 2009 Martin Ennals prize for human rights, one of the most important prizes in human rights recommended by 10 human rights eminent organizations,” the ANHRI statement read on Thursday. BM
