Abdorrahman Boroumand Center

for Human Rights in Iran

https://www.iranrights.org
Omid, a memorial in defense of human rights in Iran
One Person’s Story

Shohreh Yalfani

About

Age: 23
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Non-Believer
Civil Status: Single

Case

Date of Killing: November 24, 1981
Location of Killing: Evin Prison, Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Shooting
Charges: Counter revolutionary opinion and/or speech

About this Case

The execution of Ms. Shohreh Yalfani, daughter of Ali Akbar, and 35 other individuals, was announced in a communiqué of the Islamic Revolutionary Prosecution Office of the Province of Tehran, as published in the Kayhan newspaper on November 26, 1981. Ms. Yalfani is one of the 430 individuals whose name appears on the list of “Martyrs of the Peykar Organization for the Liberation of the Working Class” published on the website of Peykar Andeesheh. This execution was also announced in the addendum of the Mojahed magazine, No. 261, published by the Mojahedin Khalgh Organization on September 6, 1985. Ms. Yalfani’s will and additional information has been sent to Omid, via an electronic form, by a person familiar with this case, whom the Boroumand Foundation has interviewed regarding this case.

Ms. Yalfani was born in Hamedan in 1958. She was a third year student at School of Engineering of Tehran University. She was a student activist and a sympathizer of the Peykar Organization. After the Revolution, she was active in the students’ division of the Organization.

The Peykar Organization for the Liberation of the Working Class was founded by a number of dissident members of the Mojahedin Khalq Organization who had converted to Marxism-Leninism. Peykar was also joined by a number of political organizations, known as Khat-e Se (Third line). The founding tenets of Peykar included the rejection of guerrilla struggle and a strong stand against the pro-Soviet policies of the Iranian Tudeh Party. Peykar viewed the Soviet Union as a “social imperialist” state, believed that China had deviated from the Marxist-Leninist principles, and radically opposed all factions of the Islamic regime of Iran. The brutal repression of dissidents by the Iranian government and splits within Peykar in 1981 and 1982 effectively dismantled the Organization and scattered its supporters. By the mid-1980s, Peykar was no longer in existence.

Arrest and detention

According to the interviewee, Mr. Yalfani was arrested and she and her mother were walking on the street at the end of summer 1981. The Revolutionary Guards took her to Evin prison. She was detained for around two months during which she had no visits with her family and was allowed only one phone call before her execution.

Trial

No information is available on the defendant’s trial.

Charges

The communiqué of the Central Islamic Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office announced that Ms. Yalfani was charged with “actively sympathizing with the American small group of Peykar.”

Evidence of guilt

The report of this execution does not contain information regarding the evidence provided against the defendant.

Defense

No information is available on Ms. Yalfani’s defense. She was denied an attorney as well as access to her own file.

Judgment

The Islamic Revolutionary Tribunal of Tehran called Ms. Shohreh Yalfani “an enemy of God, a corruptor on earth, and a rebel against the Islamic Revolutionary Government of Iran” and condemned her to death in a “religious” verdict. Ms. Yalfani was shot by firing squad in Evin prison on November 24, 1981.

In her will, Ms. Yalfani wrote to her family: “…I love you all very, very much; all of you. Please forward my greetings to everyone and kiss them for me. In these last moments, I remember your endless kindness. I hope I didn’t cause you too much trouble… I wish you success and victory. May God protect you. From the one who loved you so much and always kept you in mind.”

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