Stop Execution of Assad Taghizadeh, Iranian Park Ranger

    Assad Taghizadeh, an Iranian park ranger employed by Iran's Department of Environment, was on duty enforcing the national law at Dena preserved Area when confronted a group of 5 armed Illegal hunters who had hunted a wild goat.

According to Mehr News Agency, Illegal hunters fired at the park rangers when they were chased. At which point, Assad fired back at them in self defence, using his licenced firearm, that resulted the death of one of the armed hunters unintentionally.

Mr Taghizadeh was tried for manslaughter in 2007 and found guilty. He was consequently sentenced to Death Penalty and his sentence has been approved by Iran's supreme court which is feared to take place within the next two weeks in Shiraz.

According to RAHANA, lack of appropriate firearms and legal training for rangers by Iran's Department of Environment (Employer Liability) could have also contributed to death of the hunter.
Iran's Shria based penal code permits Retribution (Qesas) and this has been demanded by the victim's family however numerous attempts to seek their pardon of Mr Taghizadeh have rendered fruitless.

It is worth mentioning that in the last 30 years, 110 park and forest rangers were killed and 450 others were handicapped In Iran in the line of duty as stated by Iran's Research Institute of Forests and Ranges.

Sources:
RAHANA: http://www.rahana.org/archives/44988

Mehr News Agency: http://www.mehrnews.com/fa/newsdetail.aspx?newsid=1165447

Research Institute of Forests & Ranges: http://rifr.blogfa.com/post-249.aspx

اسد تقی زاده محیط بان ایرانی در سال ۱۳۸۶ دریک درگیری با پنج شکارچی غیر قانونی مسلح در منطقه حفاظت شده دنا که یک کل وحشی را در ارتفاع سه هزار متری شکار کرده بودند، درگیر شد و پس از اینکه شکارچیان مسلح به سمت محیط بانانی که آنها را تعقیب می کردند شلیک کردند، در دفاع از خویش بسوی یک نفر از آنان شلیک نمود که متاسفانه منجر به فوت شکارچی گشت. این محیط بان به جرم قتل غیر عمد، محاکمه و حکم قصاص وی صادر شد که توسط دیوان عالی کشور نیز تایید شد .خطر اعدام وی در ۲هفته آینده در شیراز وجود دارد. با امضای این پتیشن خواهان توقف اعدام، تجدید نظر در پرونده و ابطال حکم غیر منصفانه و غیر انسانی اعدام هستیم.