Persian-Canadian pop vocalist Nazanin Afshin-Jam is leading an effort to pressure the Iranian government to reverse or vacate the death sentence handed down to an 18-year old Iranian woman after she killed a man attempting to rape her and her 16-year old niece.
The sentence was entered on January 3, 2006, and since that time international outrage has been growing at the appalling miscarriage of justice. There is some hope that the young Iranian woman, whose first name is also Nazanin, can escape the sentence, as it still must be reviewed by a Court of Appeals and by the Iranian Supreme Court.
Nazanin and her niece were reportedly walking in a public park in a Teheran suburb when they were attacked by a small group of men and forced to the ground. Seeking to defend her niece and herself, Nazanin stabbed one man in the hand with a knife that she possessed. As the men continued their attack, she stabbed another of the men in the chest, which eventually caused his death. She reportedly told the court “I wanted to defend myself and my niece. I did not want to kill that boy. At the heat of the moment I did not know what to do because no one came to our help”.
Ms. Afshin-Jam is asking people to sign an online petition in support of Nazanin, requesting that Iran follow its obligation under international law to refrain from executing someone who was under 18 years of age at the time of the attack, and asking the Iranian government to commute Nazanin’s sentence of death.
Ms. Afshin-Jam’s personal and professional web site has more information about Nazanin’s case.
Creative Destruction 
Stuff like this is depressing…but I think that petitions are powerless to change a thing, particularly in international politics and particularly when directed at a theocracy.
Comment by Adam Gurri — March 30, 2006 @ 1:02 am |
OK, you’re young, so let me put it to you this way, Adam. (First go to the singer’s web site so you know what she looks like.)
At some point, you may find yourself in LA sitting in a cafe, when a gorgeous Persian model-singer walks past. If you go and sign the petition now, then on that future day, you can walk up to her and say “OMG, you’re Nazanin – I signed your petition for that Iranian girl back in 2006” and you’ve got an in with her.
Or you can do nothing, and wind up staring morosely into your turkey-and-swiss, crying “why didn’t I listen to Bob when I had the chance?”
Comment by bobhayes — March 30, 2006 @ 1:12 am |
I must bow before your wisdom. To the website!
Comment by Adam Gurri — March 30, 2006 @ 1:14 am |