MOINUDDIN AND AZAM Juvenile Offenders tried as terrorists According to the accused, Azam (aka Abdur Rehman) and Moinuddin went to a house to collect an unpaid debt but the homeowner refused to pay, resulting in a fight. Moinuddin had a pistol on his person, and in the scuffle the owner of the house was killed. The investigating officer filed the case under the Anti -Terrorist Act (ATA), which meant the duo would face a harsher punishment and be tried without judicial safeguards. Confessions were extracted from the accused by severe torture, and the brutality of torture was such that Azam admitted to be someone else in order to stop the police from inflicting pain. At the time of their arrest, both Azam and Moinuddin were 17 years of age. There was an initial recognition of their adolescence as Azam, despite being tried as an adult was kept in a juvenile facility until he was awarded the death penalty. Despite assurances from jail officials and a government doctor that both Azam and Moinuddin were 17 at the time of the crime, the court refused to take it into consideration. TIMELINE 11 OCT 1998 the murder and robbery are committed 08 JUL 1999 Moinuddin and Azam are convicted of murder and sentenced to death by Anti-Terrorism Court 28 OCT 1999 The High Court uphold their death sentence 12 SEP 2001 The Supreme Court confirm their death sentence While Moinuddin and Azam were sentenced before the introduction of the JJSO, they were entitled to the special remission granted to all condemned prisoners who were juveniles at the time of offence as a result of the presidential notification. The request sent to Trial Court by jail authorities to determine Azam’s age was rejected on the basis that the plea had not been raised earlier. 02 SEP 2004 Anti-Terrorism court Karachi reject appeal filed by jail authorities to have both the prisoners’ sentenced reduced because of their juvenility Despite reaching a compromise with the complainant and being pardoned by them, they remain on death row. 10 MAY 2008 Moinuddin and Azam submitted request to ATC Karachi to accept the compromise between them and complianants. Since the ATA does not acknowledge compromises, the application is rejected 09 APR 2015 First execution date. Stayed a day before the hanging. 23 APR 2015 Second execution date. Later stayed. Present Day Their case is currently pending in the Supreme Court