Iranian Man Executed on Drugs Charges
Saeed Sedeghi, a shop worker sentenced to death for a drug-related offence, was executed in Iran along with nine other men on 22 October.
On the morning of 22 October, Saeed Sedeghi and nine other men – sentenced to death for drug-related offences – were executed in Tehran’s Evin Prison. This was despite calls on the country’s authorities by Amnesty International, UN human rights experts and others to halt their executions. The executions, which were initially scheduled for 11 October, were postponed until 13 October. However, on the morning of 13 October, the family was told that none of the executions had been carried out. Saeed Sedeghi’s family remained unaware of his fate and whereabouts until 21 October, when they were allowed a final visit.
Saeed Sedeghi’s family informed Amnesty International that he had told them he had been tortured in prison after his execution had been postponed. This torture included being subjected to mock execution. He also said that while in Evin Prison he had been ordered to confess his guilt in front of a camera but had refused to do so.
On 26 May, Saeed Sedeghi was tried unfairly before Branch 30 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, where he was represented by a state-appointed lawyer. His lawyer had no contact with him, or access to his case file, before the trial. After a week-long trial, the court sentenced Saeed Sedeghi to death for participating with three other men in the purchase and possession of 512kg of methamphetamine. He was also ordered to pay a fine of two million Rials (approximately US$163) and sentenced to 20 lashes for individual possession of 21 grams of the drugs opium and marijuana. Saeed Sedeghi was brought before Branch 30 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court on 28 July, where he signed a document, apparently informing him that his death sentence was going to be implemented.
On 23 October, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran, Ahmed Shaheed; the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, Christof Heyns; and the Special Rapporteur on torture, Juan E. Méndez, who had jointly called on 12 October for the 11 men not to be executed, expressed their outrage at the execution of Saeed Sedeghi and the nine other men. They called on the Iranian authorities “to impose an official moratorium with immediate effect on the use of the death penalty, especially in drug-related cases”.
A day after giving interviews to BBC Persian and Voice of America about Saeed Sedeghi, his brotherMajid Sedeghi was arrested on 11 October, Though Majid Sedeghi’s whereabouts were not immediately made known following his arrest by plain-clothed security officers, his family later learned he was being held in Evin Prison. On 15 October Majid Sedeghi was released on bail, but may face charges and a trial in the future.
No further action is required by the UA network. Many thanks to all who sent appeals.
This is the third update of UA MDE 13/066/2012. Further information: http://amnesty.org/en/library/info/MDE13/066/2012/en
Name: Saeed Sedeghi, Majid Sedeghi
Gender m/f: m
Further information on UA: 165/12 Index: MDE 13/068/2012 Issue Date: 6 November 2012