“The planned execution in Iran is completely unacceptable. Human rights developments in Iran give cause for deep concern. The Norwegian authorities oppose the death penalty and therefore take this matter very seriously. We have raised the issue with Iran on many occasions,” said Mr Petersen.

“We have made a formal protest to the Ambassador of Iran in Oslo. We will also align ourselves with the demarche by the EU today to the Iranian authorities in Teheran,” said the minister.

Iran has sentenced a growing number of minors to death. This is contrary to the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international conventions to which Iran is a party.

Norway, together with the EU, has raised the human rights situation with the Iranian authorities several times, most recently on 24 November. On this occasion, fifteen specific cases including death sentences for minors and harassment and arrests of journalists and internet operators, members of NGOs, Christians and members of the Baha’i community were taken up.

The EU presidency has sent a letter to the Iranian authorities, with which Norway has aligned itself, expressing concern about the Leyla M. case and three other cases. The EU presidency is now working intensively to bring about a meeting with the Iranian authorities in Teheran.