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

Torab Haj Alilou

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: April 10, 1979
Location of Killing: Ardebil, Ardebil Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Fatal
Charges: Corruption on earth; Acting against state's security

About this Case

Mr. Torab Hajalilou is one of 438 victims listed in a March 13, 1980 Amnesty International report. The report lists defendants who were convicted by Revolutionary Tribunals in the period from their inception until 12 August 1979. The list of victims and charges is drawn from sources including translations of indictments, reports of trials carried out by local and foreign media and the bulletins of the official Pars News Agency reports.

International human rights organizations have drawn attention to reports indicating that the Islamic Republic’s authorities have executed individuals on trumped up charges such as drug trafficking, sexual, and other criminal offences. The exact number of people convicted based on trumped-up charges is unknown.

Arrest and detention

The report provides no information on the arrest and detention of the defendant.

Trial

The Kayhan correspondent's report of the defendant's 6-hour-trial from Ardebil reads as follows:

The trial of the accused of the Islamic Revolutionary Tribunal of Ardebil, Haj Alilu, the former Head of the town’s SAVAK started and members of families of martyrs and various classes of Ardebil attended.

First, the indictment of the Prosecutor against the defendant, causing suffocation, arresting and imprisoning freedom fighters, undue interference in administrative and municipal, organizing attacks by stick wielding ruffians, leaving the town’s responsibility to people who tried to please the former Shah, and indecent acts was read. Then, Haj Alilou defended himself by noting that he was innocent and that arrests were made based on order sent by the headquarters.

The trial lasted 6 hours following which the Court’s members deliberated, convicted the accused as a corruptor on earth and a traitor to the nation, sentenced him to death. The sentence was carried out.

Charges

The charges against Mr. Hajalilou as listed in the Amnesty International report and Kayhan daily are: corruption on earth, being a traitor to the nation and acting against the security of the nation.

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

No information is available on the evidence presented against Mr. Hajalilou.

Defense

No information is available regarding the defense of the accused.

Judgment

The defendant's case was reported by Reuters on April 9th. Amnesty notes that Mr. Hajalilou had been found not guilty of torture, preventing people [from] attending prayers, working against Islamic principles and taking away poeples' rights. He was however, found guilty of acting against the security of the nation and executed.

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