About Sina Paymand

 Sina Paymand was convicted of murder and sentenced to death for a crime that took place when he was 16 years old. He was granted a last-minute reprieve by the family of the man he allegedly murdered and was ordered to pay blood money to the family of the victim.

Sina Paymand, a musician, was convicted of murder after a dispute with a man over cannabis in 2004. Sina Paymand reportedly told the Court that he was addicted to drugs and had gone to a park in Tehran on the day of the incident to try and obtain cannabis from a drug dealer. He allegedly stabbed the drug dealer to death during a fight. According to his lawyer, the sentencing court did not properly consider evidence that Sina Paymand suffered from a mental disorder.
The Supreme Court upheld the death sentence, and he was scheduled to be hanged on 20 September 2006, two weeks after his 18th birthday. When he was taken to the execution site, where the noose was placed around his neck, he was asked if he had a last request. Sina Paymand asked if he could play the flute. According to reports, the family members of the victim who were present to witness the execution were very moved by his playing, and agreed to forgive him and accept the payment of diyeh (blood money). In Iran, family members are asked just before the execution is carried out if they wish to forgo their right to retribution and forgive the condemned.

According to reports, Sina Paymand’s father is now is discussions with the family of the murder victim regarding the diyeh. If an agreement is not reached, Sina again face execution. He is currently detained in Reja-i Shahr prison in Karaj, near Tehran.
According to reports, another child offender, Ali Alijan, now 19 years old, was scheduled to be executed at the same time as Sina Paymand for a murder committed while he was under the age of 18. He too received a last-minute reprieve from the family of the murder victim. A third individual named Vahid was executed. Different reports have put his age at 18, 20, and 21 years old. It is not known whether he was also a child offender.
There is no further information on Mostafa, who was also sentenced to death for murder.