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

Morteza R.

About

Age: 20
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Single

Case

Date of Killing: October 17, 2007
Location of Killing: Evin Prison, Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Murder
Age at time of alleged offense: 16

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Morteza R., along with eight others, was published on the website of Iscanews on October 17, 2008. His case was related to the murder of an individual at Hashemabad Street in Tehran on July 30, 2003. He was only 16 years old when the incident occurred.

International laws have strictly prohibited capital punishment against those who were under the age of 18 at the time of committing the crime. As a party to the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Iran has the obligation to avoid capital punishment for an offence committed before the age of eighteen.

Arrest and detention

Mr. Morteza R. was detained for four years. The circumstances of his arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

Branch 74 of the Criminal Court of Tehran tried Mr. Morteza R. No information is available on his trial.  

Charges

The charge brought against Mr. Morteza R. was announced as “murder.” According to the report, he had killed a 27-year-old man for not paying the cost of five dresser handles.

The validity of the criminal charges brought against this defendant cannot be ascertained in the absence of the basic guarantees of a fair trial.  International human rights organizations have drawn attention to reports indicating that the Islamic Republic authorities have brought trumped-up charges, including drug trafficking, sexual, and other criminal offences, against their opponents (including political, civil society activists, as well as unionists and ethnic and religious minorities). Each year Iranian authorities sentence to death hundreds of alleged common criminals, following judicial processes that fail to meet international standards. The exact number of people convicted and executed based on trumped-up charges is unknown.  

Evidence of guilt

The report of this execution did not provide any specific information on the evidence presented against Mr. Morteza R.

Defense

Mr. Morteza R. was younger than 18 when the crime was committed. No information is available on his defense.

Judgment

Branch 74 of the Criminal Court of Tehran condemned Mr. Morteza R. to death. Branch 40 of the Supreme Court confirmed the ruling. He was hanged, along with eight others, in Evin Prison on October 17, 2008.   

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