Vancouver, 16. May 2006

                                          URGENT
                               REQUEST OF UN INTERVENTION
                                 ON ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
                           TO FREE NAZANIN FATEHI FROM EXECUTION

H.E. Mr. Kofi Annan
Secretary General
The United Nations
New York, NY 10017

Dear Mr. Annan,


I am writing to your Excellency, on behalf of myself Nazanin Afshin-Jam,
Mina Ahadi (Head of the International Commission against Executions) and
130 000 people around the world who have signed theآ  SAVE NAZANIN PETITION.
We would like to express our deepest concern for Ms. Nazanin Mahabad Fatehi,
an 18-year-old girl who is facing imminent execution by the Islamic Republic
of Iran. It has just been reported that her fate will be decided THIS WEEK.

Nazanin was arrested in March 2005 for having stabbed one of three men who
attempted to rape her and her 16-year-old niece in a park in Karaj, Iran.آ 
She attests that she acted in self-defense in order to prevent being raped.
She was nevertheless sentenced to the maximum punishment possible under the
law, death by hanging.

Nazanin was 17 years old at the time of the act.آ  Iran is a state-party to
the ICCPR and CRC and is therefore under obligation not to impose the death
penalty on those under the age of 18.

Mr. Secretary, the record of human rights of the Islamic Republic is a
dismal one. For example Amnesty international has recorded 18 executions of
child offenders in Iran since 1990. In 2005 alone, at least 8 executions of
child offenders were recorded.

The International Committee against Execution has been responsible for
helping free many women from execution in Iran.آ  Experience shows that with
enough international pressure and letters from the UN, their sentences are
commuted One example of this is the well known case of Afsaneh Norouzi who
was granted clemency in 2003

We strongly feel that Nazanin committed this appalling act in self-defence.آ 
As someone who opposes death penalty in all its form, we ask you in the name
of humanity to intercede with the government of Iran on behalf of Ms.
Nazanin Mahabad Fatehi.

Would it be possible to meet with you or one of your representatives to hand
deliver the petition with over 130 000 signatures and together write a
letter to the Iranian Officials to commute Nazanin’s sentence? The media,
including CNN are interested in covering this exchange with or without a
formal press conference. However if you prefer to do this in private we will
be much obliged.

I am fully aware of your Excellency’s deep commitment to principals of human
rights across the globe, and genuinely hope that this case will receive all
your attention in order to possibly save this unfortunate woman from an
unusual and cruel punishment and set a precedent for others like her in the
future,

Thank you,



Nazanin Afshin-Jam
(Miss Canada and Miss World runner up 2003)
www.nazanin.ca




Mina Ahadi
Head of the International Committee Against Execution
Head of the International Committee Against Stoning
www.minaahadi.com

Cc:
Louise Arbour,
High Commissioner of Human Rights
Rachel Majanga,
Special Adviser on Gender and Advancement of Women
Jong-Gil Woo,
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva (Iran Desk)