Iran seeking to cut executions of child offenders to zero

Iran is doing its best to bring down the number of executions of child offenders to zero, a senior Iranian official tells AFP.

“We are going to the zero point,” says Majid Tafreshi of the state-run High Council for Human Rights, insisting that was the “will of the system” of the Islamic Republic.

Tafreshi, the council’s deputy head of international affairs, speaking in English during an interview with AFP last week, insists the Islamic Republic is working hard to reduce the numbers of executions of those who committed crimes while minors.

“This is what all the government [is doing]. This is applaudable,” he says. “We’re trying to convince the victim family to pardon,” he adds, noting that the council’s broad goal “is minimizing the number of executions… as much as possible.”