January 16, 2007
TEHRAN, Iran - An Iranian court dropped a
death sentence against a Kurdish teenager accused of
killing a man who allegedly tried to rape her, the
teenager's lawyer said on Monday.
An Iranian court convicted and sentenced Nazanin
Fatehi to death more than a year ago after she
admitted stabbing to death one of three men who
allegedly tried to rape her and a 16-year-old niece.
Fatehi was 17 years old at the time.
Fatehi and her niece were in a park outside Tehran
with their boyfriends when they were approached by
the three men. The boys fled after the men pushed
the girls to the ground.
Fatehi drew a knife and stabbed one man in the arm
and another in the chest, killing him, according to
the court records.
In June, a court ordered her death sentence stayed
and a new trial ordered. In the second trial, which
began Wednesday, the court decided the killing was
not premeditated and did not warrant the death
penalty.
"Five judges reviewed her case, and all of them
admitted that what Fatehi did was only self-defense,"
said one of Fatehi's lawyers, Mohammad Mostafaei.
"She just defended herself and her niece to avoid
rape."
Mostafaei said he expected the court would sentence
Fatehi — in accordance with Islamic law — to pay
blood money to the family of the man.
Mostafaei said the court set Fatehi's bail at 400
million rials, or about US$45,000, and he would meet
with her on Tuesday. He asked people to help collect
money for Fatehi's bail to help get her released
from custody.
AP |
Nazanin Fatehi, 17 year old Kurdish girl from Iran
(Kurdistan) sentenced to death in Iran
www.helpnazanin.com
Nazanin Afshin-Jam, Miss
Canda
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