Ateqeh Rajabi, aged 16 years

Ateqeh Rajabi (1988 to August 15, 2004) was a sixteen year-old Iranian girl who was executed in Iran after being sentenced to death by an Iranian judge, Haji Rezaii, for allegedly having committed "acts incompatible with chastity" (having sexual intercourse with an older man), and for removing her hijab while arguing with her judge in court. Image File history File links Ateqeh_Rajabi. ... August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Capital punishment, also referred to as the death penalty, is the execution of a convicted felon as a punishment for a crime (often called a capital offence or a capital crime). ... Iraqi girl wearing the hijab Hijab (Arabic: حجاب) is the word used in the Islamic context for the practice of dressing modestly, which all practicing Muslims past the age of puberty are instructed to do in their holy book, the Quran. ...

Ateqeh reportedly had no access to legal counsel and her death sentence was upheld by a Supreme Court of conservative mullahs. Haji Rezaii, the religious judge, was reportedly so incensed with Ateqeh’s "sharp tongue" during the trial that he travelled to Tehran to convince the mullahs of the Supreme Court to uphold the death sentence. She was publicly hanged in Neka, Iran, in August 2004, by the judge himself. Amnesty International, as well as human rights organizations from the international community at large, declared her killing to be a crime against humanity and against children of the world. Rajabi's case has also been cited by women's rights activists as an example of a misogyny which they perceive to be inherent in Iran's theocratic regime. Capital punishment, also referred to as the death penalty, is the judicially ordered execution of a prisoner as a punishment for a serious crime, often called a capital offense or a capital crime. ... Mullahs are Islamic clergy who have studied the Quran and the Hadith and are considered experts on related religious matters in this religion. ... Hanging is a form of execution or a method for suicide. ... Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization with the stated purpose of promoting all the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards. ... Misogyny is an exaggerated antipathy toward women. ... The term theocracy is used to describe a form of government in which a religion or faith plays a dominant role The word theocracy originates from the Greek θεοκρατία (theokratia). ...

Her Name

Reports of her case have a variety of different names and spellings for her. These include

• Ateqeh Sahaleh
• Ateqeh Rajabi
• Atefeh Sahaleh Rajabi
• Atefeh Rajabi
• Atefe Sahalah

(and other combinations of the above).

External links

• Frontpage Magazine story on Rajabi's execution.
• Amnesty International statement
• The Execution of Atefeh Rajabi