Horrifying gang rape & assault on mother & son

[Sundae]

The crimes committed are horrifying, of course. But what separates the lawless from the law-abiding is simply... the law. There is a line drawn in the sand regarding the difference between juveniles and adults, and I do believe that in order to keep the system working then you have to adhere to it.

Of course, they don't believe that in Iran:

Iran has the shameful status of being the world’s last official executioner(1) of child offenders – people convicted of crimes committed when they were under the age of 18. It also holds the macabre distinction of having executed more child offenders than any other country in the world since 1990, according to Amnesty International’s records.(2)

In many cases, child offenders under sentence of death in Iran are kept in prison until they reach 18 before execution. In this period, some win appeals against their conviction. Some have their sentence overturned on appeal and are freed after a retrial. Some are reprieved by the family of the victim in cases of qesas (retribution) crimes and are asked to pay diyeh instead. Some are executed.

Although executions of child offenders are few compared to the total number of executions in Iran, they highlight the government’s disregard for its commitments and obligations under international law, which prohibits in all circumstances the use of the death penalty for child offenders. The executions also gravely undermine the particular obligation that all states have relating to the protection of children – one of the most vulnerable groups in society.

I found that while looking for something else - I'm not suggesting that American justice compares to Iranian, it just interested me.