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

Sadeq

About

Age: 50
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: 2003
Location of Killing: Central Prison (Chubindar), Qazvin, Zanjan Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Drug trafficking

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Sadeq, known as Akbar, along with another person, was published in the Jomhuri Eslami and Iran newspapers on April 15, 2003, quoting the Public Relations Officer of the Qazvin Courthouse.

Arrest and detention

According to the Public Relations Officer of the Qazvin Courthouse, during his previous conviction, Mr. Sadeq went on leave and was absent for a long period, then arrested again for possession of heroin. The circumstances of his arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

Branch Three of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Qazvin tried Mr. Sadeq. No information is available on his trial.

Charges

The charges brought against Mr. Sadeq were announced as “transportation and possession of 53 grams of heroin and an addiction to heroin.”

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. Thousands of alleged drug traffickers have been sentenced to death following judicial processes that fail to meet international standards. Scores of them were executed based on a 1989 law imposing mandatory death sentences on drug traffickers found in possession of specified amounts of proscribed narcotics (5 kg of hashish or opium, and more than 30 grams of heroin, codeine or methadone). The exact number of people convicted based on trumped-up charges is unknown.

Evidence of guilt

The evidence presented against Mr. Sadeq was his “confession” and the recovery of narcotics. He had a record for transportation and possession of heroin and opium and addiction.

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. Sadeq’s defense.

Judgment

The court condemned Mr. Sadeq to death and 20 lashes. According to the Public Relations Officer of the Qazvin Courthouse, this ruling was confirmed by the General Public Prosecution Office and his pardon request rejected by the General Pardon Office. Mr. Sadeq was hanged at the Qazvin Central Prison on April 13, 2003. 

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