TEHRAN - A 17-year-old Iranian boy, who abducted, sexually assaulted and brutally killed a young Afghan girl on April 10, is now in custody. Different officials have called for his severe punishment.

By Marjan Golpira

The 6-year-old Afghan girl, Setayesh Qoreishi, became the victim of gruesome act of her predator while she was playing in her neighborhood, which happened to be the residence of her offender, in Varamin County in southeastern Tehran.

Having the police get involved, the father then discovered the lifeless, burnt body of his daughter in the house of his neighbor, from where he had received the phone calls earlier. 

The police then took in the suspect who later confessed to his crime and reconstructed the crime scene.

All equal before Iran’s judicial system: police

Colonel Abdolreza Nazeri, the commander of East Tehran police, stressing that everyone is equal before the law, said that after tracing some clues, special police force got involved and identified the predator.

After completion of the case, the colonel noted, the defendant will be determinedly charged in accordance with the law.

Human rights official condemns Afghan girl murder

The deputy secretary general of High Council for Human Rights and Judicial Cooperation, strongly denounced the horrific crime of the 6-year-old Afghan girl, Setayesh, calling the related judicial authorities to take urgent and decisive action to address the tragedy and bring the criminal to justice.

Kazem Gharibabbadi, offering his condolence on Setayesh’s death, emphasized the fact that there is no difference between Iranians and Afghans regarding legal procedures in Iran’s justice system.

Gharibabadi said Iran, a country hosting three million Afghan immigrants, has always made attempts to maximize capacity to attend to Afghans.

Afghans are too entitled to equal protection of the law in Iran without any discrimination, Garibabadi explained.

Severe punishment for Setayesh murderer: MP

Seyyed Hossein Naqavi Hosseini, representative of people of Varamin also voiced out his opinion saying, “The killer will face serious punishment.”

Iran’s Majlis will follow up the case and deal with Setayesh’s killer based on the law of the country, because “Iran’s judicial system doesn’t differentiate between murder of an Iranian or Afghan.”

According to Iran’s constitution, all are equal before the law, thus, everyone must be treated equally under the law regardless of their race, gender, national origin.