Issuance of a death sentence for Noorullah Mohammadi, an Afghan teenager, based on non-standard and humiliating tests; the basic rights of a child offender have been trampled upon.
Iran Human Rights Society, Thursday, May 29, 2025 – Noorullah Mohammadi, an Afghan teenager who was only 14 years old at the time of the alleged crime, now faces the imminent execution of his death sentence at the age of 18. Held in Qezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, Unit 2, Ward 16, this teenager endures terrifying days in a completely defenseless state, without access to a lawyer or family support.
Noorullah Mohammadi’s case is a clear reflection of structural discrimination against Afghan migrants in Iran, especially considering he was not only a child but has consistently denied committing the crime and named another individual as the main perpetrator from the outset.
Accused Without Evidence, Detained Without Support, Sentenced to Death
Noorullah was arrested in May 2023 on charges of murder. According to informed sources, he immediately declared his innocence upon arrest, stating that the actual perpetrator was an individual named “Behzad,” who fled the scene. However, due to his lack of identity documents and Afghan nationality, Noorullah was labeled the main suspect, and his actual age was disregarded by authorities.
In the absence of identification documents, Iran’s judiciary, instead of adhering to child offender justice principles, resorted to unscientific methods to determine his age, which have drawn widespread criticism from human rights organizations.
Humiliating Tests to Determine Age
According to reports, the forensic medical authority used methods such as dental examinations, bone growth analysis, and even forced Noorullah to undress to determine his age—methods described by international human rights organizations as unscientific, humiliating, and contrary to human dignity.
The result of these non-standard examinations was the declaration of an age over 18 for the teenager, paving the way for his death sentence. Many experts believe that accurately determining age through such tests, especially in adolescents suffering from malnutrition or irregular growth, is impossible.
Life in Danger, Defenseless, and Forgotten
Noorullah Mohammadi is currently held in Qezel Hesar Prison, notorious for carrying out executions. This teenager not only lacks access to an independent lawyer but also has no family to follow up on his legal situation.
Amid the silence of domestic media and insufficient coverage by international organizations, the likelihood of Noorullah’s execution increases daily—an execution that not only violates children’s rights but also disregards the right to life of a human being who has fallen victim to discrimination, injustice, and a corrupt judicial system.
The Need to Expand the “No to Execution Tuesdays” Campaign
The Iran Human Rights Organization and other human rights and children’s advocacy groups demand an immediate halt to Noorullah Mohammadi’s death sentence. They emphasize that the judicial process against this teenager has utterly failed to meet fair trial standards and is fundamentally rooted in racial discrimination and inhumane practices. This case and others like it underscore the urgent need to expand the “No to Execution Tuesdays” campaign more than ever.
Discriminatory Judicial System Against Migrants
Noorullah Mohammadi’s case is just one of dozens of similar cases in recent years in which Afghan migrants have fallen victim to the lack of support structures, systematic discrimination, and deprivation of basic human rights. While the Islamic Republic has joined the Convention on the Rights of the Child and is obligated to comply with its provisions, evidence suggests that migrant children not only receive no support but are easily victimized by oppressive judicial policies.
Flagrant Human Rights Violations in Noorullah Mohammadi’s Case
Noorullah Mohammadi’s case is a stark example of gross and systematic human rights violations by the judicial system under Iran’s ruling dictatorship. The following fundamental principles have been violated in this case:
Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: Emphasizes the inherent right to life of every human being. Executing a child offender, especially without a fair trial, is a clear violation of this principle.
Article 7: Prohibits torture and humiliating treatment. Conducting inhumane and degrading examinations to determine Noorullah’s age is a clear violation of this article.
Article 9: Prohibits arbitrary detention. Noorullah was detained without identity documents, solely based on suspicion and discrimination.
Article 14: Guarantees the right to a fair trial and access to a lawyer. This right has been denied to Noorullah Mohammadi.
Article 24: Explicitly emphasizes the need for special protection for children. In this case, not only was no support provided, but Noorullah has been effectively abandoned.
Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC): Prohibits the execution of individuals under 18 years old. Given that Noorullah was only 14 at the time of the alleged crime, issuing and executing his death sentence violates international commitments to children’s rights.
As Noorullah Mohammadi moves closer to execution with each passing moment, the responsibility of the global community and human rights organizations is greater than ever. Now is the time for urgent action, widespread awareness, and international pressure to ensure that the life of a defenseless teenager does not fall victim to injustice. Silence, in this case, is complicity with death.
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