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

Safar'ali Varmazyar

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: November 15, 2007
Location of Killing: Hamedan, Hamedan Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Murder

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Safar’ali Varmazyar, along with two others, was published in the Jomhuri Eslami newspaper and on the website of Khabar-e Jonub on November 18, 2007. Additional information was taken from the website of the Committee of Human Rights Reporters on November 14 and 18, 2007, ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency) on November 14, 2007, Fars news agency on July 20, 2006, and the Jomhuri Eslami newspaper on February 22, 2006. His case and the cases of three others were related to the murder of three shepherds at the Zamanabad Village near Malayer on November 5, 2005. 

Arrest and detention

Mr. Varmazyar was arrested on November 9, 2005. After a relative of the victims filed a complaint, criminal police inspectors in Malayer and Hamadan investigated the case and arrested nine members of a tribe. They arrested three more individuals after the confession of one of the arrestees. (Khabar-e Jonub)

Trial

The Criminal Court in Hamadan tried Mr. Varmazyar and the other defendants. The first trial session took place on February 20, 2006 (Jomhuri Eslami newspaper). No information is available on his trial.

Charges

The charges brought against Mr. Varmazyar and another person were announced as “stewardship in murders.” According to the existing information, he, his uncle (grandfather), and his two other relatives had murdered three young shepherds by blows of a knife at gardens around the Zamanabad Village over tribal disputes.

The validity of the criminal charges brought against this defendant cannot be ascertained in the absence of the basic guarantees of a fair trial. 

Evidence of guilt

The evidence presented against Mr. Varmazyar was his “confession” and the confession of his collaborator, the forensics report, and complaints by the victims’ families.

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

Mr. Varmazyar’s attorney defended him during the trial. However, no information is available on the content of his defense.

Judgment

The Criminal Court of Hamadan condemned Mr. Safar’ali Varmazyar to death. Branch 16 of the Supreme Court confirmed the ruling and the Head of Judiciary validate it on June 19, 2006. He was hanged, along with two others, at the Hamadan Prison yard on November 15, 2007. The fourth defendant was condemned to 5 years imprisonment for assisting the murderers. 

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