Killer of Afghan Child Sentenced to Death in Iran
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An Iranian teenage boy who had raped and brutally killed a 6-year-old Afghan girl in Varamin, southeast of Tehran, was sentenced to death and payment of blood money, the lawyer of the victim’s family announced.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, Abbas Asgari Aqbash said according to a verdict recently issued by a court in Tehran, the murderer of Setayesh Qoreishi, the Afghan girl, has been sentenced to Qisas for committing murder, execution for raping, and payment of blood money for committing crimes against the dead body.
According to Islamic law, Qisas is the right for the nearest relatives of a murder victim to take the life of the killer.
Asgari Aqbash noted that the verdict can be appealed in the country’s Supreme Court within the legal deadline.
Back in April, the 17-year-old Iranian boy kidnapped Setayesh in Varamin and horribly murdered the Afghan girl after raping her.
The murderer was soon arrested by the Iranian police, and confessed to his heinous crime, which hurt the feelings of both Afghan and Iranian nations.
The incident, which could cause a rift among the people of the two neighboring countries, happened to increase solidarity between Iranians and Afghans.
Iranian nationals, particularly in Tehran, condemned the crime and expressed their sympathy with the family of the victim as well as the Afghan nation by installing banners of condolences and attending memorial services.
Several officials also denounced the incident and promised to follow up on the issue as seriously as possible. Governor-General of Tehran, Seyed Hossein Hashemi, expressed deep regret over the bitter crime, and called for the murderer to be duly punished.
“Our colleagues have met with the six-year-old girl’s family, and expressed sympathy with them,” he said after the incident, adding that the bereaved family of the victim was reassured that the case would be pursued as soon as possible.
Officials with Iran’s immigration department as well as Tehran’s security and disciplinary officials also visited the family and promised to provide them with any necessary help.
