Categories: Human RightsIFP ExclusiveJudiciarySelectedTranslated by IFP

Family of 17-Year-Old Victim Pardons His Murderer

A convict who had been sentenced to death for killing a boy at his 17 was pardoned by the victim’s next of kin.

The relatives of a 17-year-old boy who was killed by a boy of his own age, pardoned the murderer unconditionally right before his death sentence was to be implemented.

This is the fifth time in this year that a victim’s family is pardoning the killer on the death row in Kordestan Province, Western Iran.

According to a Farsi report by Etemad newspaper, the convict had killed Pouria Abolqassemi in February 2012. Since then, the murderer’s parents were trying to obtain the consent of victim’s next of kin to reduce the death sentence.

While the killer was due to be hanged in January 2017, the victim’s parents granted the convict their unconditional pardon just a few hours before his execution.

The victim’s father said that he decided to forgive the killer of his son “to promote the culture of forgiveness and to reach the peace of mind before his God”.

“We didn’t intend to forgive him until that night at 1 am. Now I’m glad that God gave me and my family the patience to forgive the killer of my son.”

The convict and his family thanked the family of the victim, saying that they will never forget this great pardon.

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