Tolu TV: Afghan MPs call on Iran to repatriate underage convicts to Afghanistan

Text of report by Afghan independent Tolo TV, on 10 October

[Presenter] A number of MPs call on the government of Iran to reconsider the death penalty for 16 young Afghan nationals.

The teenagers, ranging between 12 to 16 years of age, had been used by drug smugglers to smuggle drugs into Iran with fake passports.

[Correspondent] The MPs say drug smugglers had deceived the teenagers, and that the government of Iran should not punish the children like adults.

[Babrak Shinwari, MP from Nangarhar Province, in Pashto] As I see the morale of the parliament, even those who have very deep feelings and links with Iran have shown a very serious reaction to this, especially with regard to refugees and these 15 people. If these people are executed, and if this worsens the situation, I do not think we can easily compensate for it. Not only the neighbourly relations but also political relations between Iran and Afghanistan will worsen.

[Fawzia Kofi, MP from Badakhshan Province] We sincerely ask Iranian authorities and Iranian civil society organizations to observe the good neighbourly relations and make sure that the Islamic Republic of Iran remains committed to its international obligations. We ask them to take serious measures and release or repatriate the 17 Afghan children – one of them already executed – the 16 Afghan children to Afghanistan.

[Correspondent] Sixteen Afghan teenagers are on death row in Iran. These teenagers are aged between 12 and 16.

The lucrative drugs trade makes smugglers to use poor and deprived children. All these teenagers are residents of Ghorian District of Herat Province.

We are going to the Foreign Affairs Ministry to ask what the ministry has done, and what it will do in the future, to save the deceived teenagers.

[Sultan Ahmad Bahin, spokesman, Foreign Affairs Ministry] Authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran have promised that they will discuss the issue with other officials in their country. We are awaiting their response. We hope, in view of the friendly relations that we have with the Islamic Republic of Iran, the fact that we are neighbours and share a common language and religion, and in view of the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran has played a good role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan, we hope this [presumably execution] does not happen.

[Correspondent] Lawyers believe there is no law anywhere in the world based on which children should be punished like adults.

[Description of Source: Kabul Tolu Television in Dari -- Independent television.  OSC IAP20071011950003 Kabul Tolu Television in Dari 1400 GMT 10 Oct 07]

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