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

Mohammad (Mahmud) A.

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: October 17, 2007
Location of Killing: Shiraz, Fars Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Rape

About this Case

News of the arrest and execution of Mr. Mohammad (Mahmud) A., along with two others, was published on the websites of IRNA (Islamic Republic News Agency) on April 19, 2006, October 15 and 16, 2007, ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency) and Farsnama on October 15, and the Khabare Jonub newspaper on October 16, 2007.

According to the Head of the Criminal Sentence Implementation Bureau andthe Criminal Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office of Shiraz, Mr. Mohammad (Mahmud) A., was a member of a gang, called Amir Siah, who had raped their victims. (Khabare Jonub newspaper)  

According to the media reports, Mr. Mohammad (Mahmud) A., and three others, (members of the Amir Siah gang) blocked the road on a taxi, transporting two young women, with their vehicle and forced the women to ride on their vehicle threatening with weapon. They took them to a garden near Shiraz and three of the men raped the young women. After the rape, one of the gang members began shooting his gun in the air in order to intimidate the kidnapped women and convince them not to make a complaint. 

Arrest and Detention

Mr. Mohammad (Mahmud) A., was arrested on December 1, 2005 following a complaint made by two women about being kidnapped and raped by four men on November 29, 2005, two days earlier. (Khabare Jonub newspaper)

Trial

The trial took place in Branch Five of the Criminal Court of Fars. No further information is available about Mr. Mohammad A.’s trial.

Charges

The charge against Mr. Mohammad (Mahmud) A., was announced as "rape."

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 Islamic Republic authorities have brought trumped-up charges against their political opponents and executed them for alleged drug trafficking, sexual, and other criminal offences. 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 based on trumped-up charges is unknown.

Evidence of Guilt

The evidence presented against Mr. Mohammad (Mahmud) A. was the complaint by two women about being raped.  

Defense

No information is available on Mr. Mohammad (Mahmud) A. 's defense.

Judgment

The court condemned Mr. Mohammad (Mahmud) A. to death and the ruling was confirmed by Branch 32 of the Supreme Court. The defendant’s request for pardon was rejected in the Pardon Commission of the Judiciary. He was hanged in public at Mo’alem Square of Shiraz on October 15, 2007.

During an interview following this execution, the Revolutionary Public Prosecutor of Shiraz asked women to wear their cover (Hejab) appropriately to avoid harassment by seditious individuals.  (Farsnama)   

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