United Nations Radio

The UN's human rights office has expressed sadness and concern at reports from the Islamic Republic of Iran of the recent execution of two juvenile offenders, Reza Hedjazi and Behnam Zaare.

One was 15 and the other 16 when they committed their crimes. The spokesman for the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville says the two were believed to have been executed in August, even though in June the office expressed concern over their cases and that of two other youths on death row in Iran.

"Two other juvenile offenders, Mohammad Fadaaee and Amir Amrollahi, also face an imminent risk of execution. ...We urge the government of Iran to stay the executions of both of them in strict compliance with its international human rights obligations, and not to impose the death penalty for juvenile offenders in the future."

Mr. Colville says the UN human rights office is also concerned over reports of an increase in the total number of executions in Iran, where more than 220 people, including six juvenile offenders, are believed to have been executed this year.

Reporting for UN Radio, I'm Bissera Kostova.

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