Shiraz murder case paused after 11‑year‑old daughter's forgiveness

In Shiraz, Iran, a man named Milad was convicted of murdering a 39‑year‑old falafel seller, Shamsad, during a dispute in December 2018. The court sentenced him to death, but the execution was halted after Shamsad’s 11‑year‑old daughter claimed to have dreamed that her father asked her mother to pardon the killer. The family’s petition for forgiveness was signed, and authorities suspended the hanging pending further review.

Investigators linked Milad to the crime through surveillance footage and vehicle registration. He admitted that he and two friends had returned to the scene and that a friend fired the fatal shot, but claimed the intent was only to scare the victim. The case drew public attention to the role of victim‑family forgiveness in Iran’s criminal justice process.