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

Reza Hamrahi

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: January 1, 2003
Location of Killing: Ahar, Azarbaijan-e Sharqi Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Corruption on earth; Armed robbery; Murder; War on God

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Reza Hamrahi, son of Rahim, along with two others, was published in the Jomhuri Eslami newspaper on January 2, 2003 and in the Kayhan newspaper on January 1, 2003. Additional information was taken from the Jomhuri Eslami newspaper on June 9, 1999.

According to the existing information, Mr. Hamrahi’s case was related to an armed attack at the Basij Base in the Noghduz Village near Ahar that resulted in killing of a Revolutionary Guard on April 30, 1999, and the murder of three individuals.  

Arrest and detention

Agents of the Intelligence Office of Revolutionary Guards in Tabriz and security forces arrested Mr. Hamrahi and the other two defendants in June of 1999 during an investigation into the attack at the Basij Base in the Noghduz Village near Ahar. The circumstances of his arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

Branch Three of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tabriz tried Mr. Hamrahi and the other two defendants of this case. No information is available on his trial.

Charges

The charges brought against Mr. Hamrahi were announced as “Moharebeh [fighting against God] and Efsad [corruption on Earth] by armed robbery, creating fear and intimidation, public disturbance, and murdering 4 individuals.”  

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

According to the Jomhuri Eslami newspaper report, in addition to other evidence, the “confession” of Mr. Hamrahi was the basic reason for the ruling. According to the defendants’ confessions, bodies of two individuals, buried near Ahar after being murdered, were recovered. According to the report, these two individuals had been collaborators of the defendants, who had been murdered by three defendants, due to internal conflicts. They also killed a driver of a car by a firearm and stole his car in Haris, Ajerbaijan-e Sharqi, on April 30, 1999. Then they changed the plate and attacked the Basij Base in the Noghduz Village killing an agent. Additionally, stolen six firearms and cool cartridges from the Basij Base and the defendants’ personal weapons were among the evidence against them. 

International human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for its systematic use of severe torture and solitary confinement to obtain confessions from detainees and have questioned the authenticity of confessions obtained under duress.

Defense

No information is available on Mr. Hamrahi’s defense.

Judgment

Branch Three of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tabriz condemned Mr. Reza Hamrahi and the other two defendants of this case to death for “Moharebeh [fighting against God] and Efsad [corruption on Earth].” Branch 32 of the Supreme Court confirmed the ruling. He was hanged, along with two others, in public in front of the government building in Ahar on January 1, 2003.  

Correct/ Complete This Entry