Reza Alinejad

Reza Alinejad (born September 21, 1985) is an Iranian man who, at the age of 17, was accused of killing another man in self defence and sentenced to death by hanging.

Background information

In December 2002, while eating at a local marketplace in Fasa, Iran, Reza and his friend were confronted by a group of older men who verbally assaulted the two teenagers. The verbal altercation escalated, and one member of the group that had initiated the confrontation with Reza and his friend pulled out a weapon and began to beat the teens. In an attempt to defend himself and his friend against the attack, Reza pulled out a pocket knife, and while covering his face and eyes from the blows with his left hand, he attempted to ward off his attackers with the knife in his right hand. As Reza struggled with his attackers in this manner, he stabbed one of them with the knife. The stabbing ultimately led to the attacker's death, and Reza was arrested on charges of murder and was sentenced to death by hanging.

During the initial investigation of this case, a number of exculpatory facts were established for the record, including the testimony of the decedent's friend, who was present when the altercation took place. The eyewitness admitted that he and his friend were the ones who had started the altercation, and without provocation from Reza and his friend, they had attacked the two teenagers with their weapons. The eyewitness testified that the teenagers did not have any way of escaping the altercation as they were surrounded and overpowered. They were severely beaten, leaving them with serious injuries that required them to be hospitalized. As such, the eyewitness admitted that the attacks that he and his by-then deceased friend's actions were so aggressive that he could understand why Reza and his friend had acted as they had to defend their lives.

Reza's case was transferred to Iran's Head of Judiciary Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi for review.

In December 2007, in a letter to Nazanin Afshin-Jam, Reza's brother, Ali Alinejad sent the copy of the mediation order by Iran's head of judiciary that stated: "Considering the age of the convicted and the unintentional circumstances that he was faced, the file is ordered to be returned to judiciary court in (city of) Fasa. Through Mediation council or by any other means; more efforts and attempts must be made in order to bring a resolution between parents of the victim and the murder convict."

Release Reza was released on December 3, 2008, after the victim's family (Dooroodi) demanded and accepted financial compensation (diyeh, blood money). The Alinejad family spoke to SCE (Stop Child Executions) President Nazanin Afshin-Jam shortly after his release to thank the team for all efforts to help save Reza. Reza maintains his innocence and says that the death of Esmail Dooroodi was as a result of defending himself against him and the other attacker Mohammad Firouzi.