Fereydun Farokhzad: "An artist is responsible for speaking out when a nation is in distress and a country is under oppression."

Information regarding the life and extrajudicial execution of Mr. Fereidun Farokhzad, son of Hasan and Turan Vaziri Tabar, was obtained from various sources, including Kayhan newspaper (August 17 and 20, 1992), German newspaper TAZ (March 17, 1993), Galindo-Pohl's report on human rights violations in Iran (January 28, 1993), Radio Sweden (August 17, 1992), the book "Minstrel in Blood (Khoniagar dar Khun)- In Recognition and Honor of Fereidun Farokhzad" (2005), the Ettelaat newspaper (November 4, 1978 and August 9, 1979), Fereidun Farokhzad's speeches against the Islamic Republic of Iran in a concert (Vancouver, summer 1992), the Manoto TV Network documentary "It Was Night - Fereidun Farokhzad" (2011), the Ghadimiha website (February 21, 2012), Mehdi Nejad Farahani's blog (August 9, 2013), Puran Farokhzad's letter to the Committee for the Defense of Victims of Political chain murders in the Payam Emrooz monthly magazine (no. 36, February 1999), Shahrvand Newspaper (June 22, 2020), Etemad Online (June 13, 2020), Radio Farda (August 10, 2019), Kayhan London Newspaper (August 6, 2020), Mr. Farokhzad's interview with Ms. Diana Rafi'i in Hamburg - Free Iran Television (1987 or 1988), interview with Mr. Manuchehr Ganji - YouTube (December 2, 2017), Ms. Puran Farokhzad's interview with BBC (October 29, 2016), the book "The Judge is Still in Berlin - The Mykonos Terror and Court" (Mehrdad Payandeh, Abas Khodaqoli, Hamid Nozari - 2000), and Radio Farda's website - Sad Eastern Documentary (2021).

Mr. Farokhzad was a poet, radio and television producer, singer, television and radio host, songwriter, composer, actor, and political activist. He was one of the most famous showmen in Iran before the 1979 revolution and hosted the popular program "Silver Carnation" on National Iranian Television Channel One for years.

According to available information, Mr. Farokhzad was born in Tehran on October 9, 1936. He was the fourth child of his family. His father was a military officer and his sister, Forugh Farokhzad, was a well-known Iranian poet who died in a car accident in 1966. He studied at Razi Elementary School and Darolfonun High School, graduating with a diploma in literature. After being exempted from military service in 1958, he went to Germany and studied political science in Munich. He earned a master's degree in contemporary history and a doctorate in political law. Mr. Farokhzad has been married twice. His first marriage, in Germany in 1962, resulted in two children, one of whom, a daughter, died in infancy. He returned to Iran with his wife and son on January 25, 1969 (Ghadimiha website). Ten years later, his wife and son returned to Germany after Mr. Farokhzad and his wife divorced. His second marriage, in 1973, also ended in divorce after a few months.

Mr. Farokhzad's literary and artistic activities were successful in Germany, as well as in Iran. In 1963, he published a poetry book in German entitled "Andere Jahreszeit", which won the Berlin Literature Prize. He was also a member of the Munich Youth Literature Academy. In 1966, he began collaborating with Munich Radio and Television, producing several radio programs and creating a film series called "Alpine Roads. In 1967, he composed modern music inspired by Iranian folk music, which took him to the Innsbruck Music Festival in Austria, where he won the first prize.

He was the editor of the children's program on Radio Iran for three years before he was fired. Mr. Farokhzad wrote about it: "After three years, I was dismissed from Radio Iran without any explanation, because I had known the family of Hamid Ashraf (one of the leaders of the Organization of the People's Fada'i Guerrillas of Iran) since childhood and had visited their home with a bouquet of roses after the Siahkal* incident."  He continued: "I have been summoned several times by the security officials due to my love for freedom and being free!!! They raided my house twice, tied my hands and eyes and took me to solitary confinement (Anti-Sabotage Committee), which was located behind the Shahrbani building. They treated me in a way that I will never forget for the rest of my life. (Ettelaat Newspaper - November 4, 1978)

Mr. Farokhzad was ahead of his time as an artist before and after the Islamic revolution. His behavior was different from the intellectual and artistic men of his time. He danced on stage and kissed women's hands as a sign of respect. In his show "Silver Carnation", he addressed cultural and social issues in a humorous format, mentioned children with disabilities, and invited and appreciated hard working members of society such as street sweepers, postmen, policemen, and bus drivers. (Mehdi Nejad Farahani's blog)

Another issue was the controversy over his homosexuality, which continued after his death. Esfandiar Monfaredzadeh, one of his contemporaries, sometimes discouraged him from revealing his sexual orientation; however he remembers that: “Farokhzad did not consider being gay a disgrace and wanted people to know, but it was very early for that. I had asked him several times not to publicly say it, at least at that time.” (Manoto TV Network). At a concert in Sydney, Australia, in 1991, he spoke openly about his personal life: "You should know that I lived with a woman for ten years and was very much in love with her. I say this to show that I bear you no grudge and owe you nothing. But ethical courage requires a man to stand up and tell people, "This is how I feel. I lived with a man for the next ten years of my life and was very much in love with him.”

Mr. Farokhzad was arrested several times after the 1979 revolution. According to his sister, Puran Farokhzad: "Here, Fereidun's life was in danger both from so-called friends who were greedy for his life and also from revolutionaries. He was detained several times, once for 20 days in a committee near the parliament. I was completely scared because Fereidun had done nothing wrong; he was just an artist.” (Puran Farokhzad's interview with the BBC). One of his arrests after the revolution was on August 8, 1979. He was arrested on charges of running a brothel. According to the spokesman for the Central Committee in Tehran: "A family filed a complaint against Fereidun Farokhzad, saying that he was taking our 20-year-old son to his house every night. Because we were suspicious of their actions, we filed this complaint. We have asked Farokhzad several times to end his relationship with our son, but he has ignored our requests." As a result, members of the committee went to Farokhzad's house on Mosadeq Street and took him and the young man to the Central Committee for investigation. (Ettelaat Newspaper, August 9, 1979)

Mr. Farokhzad left Iran when the situation became difficult for him and he was in danger of being arrested again. After facing many challenges, he went to Turkey in 1982 and then to Paris after two weeks. He used his brother's (Mehrdad's) passport with some modifications. In France, he sought asylum and received a French refugee passport under the name Fereidun Mehrdad Farokhzad Araghi. (Radio Farda - Sad Eastern Documentary) He stayed in Europe for over two years, living in Hamburg for a while, then moved to Los Angeles, where he said he had a very difficult time. In the preface to his poetry collection "In the End, All Is Begun in Love", published in the mid-80s, he wrote: "I am ashamed that the first edition of my book is being published in Los Angeles. It is not a city but a jungle. A barren land, a desert, a swamp, and its stench has filled the world. Perhaps my book will be a fragrant breeze to souls tired of betrayal and crime.”

Following his departure from Iran, Mr. Farokhzad continued to engage with both artistic and socio-political matters. He demonstrated courage and spoke frankly and openly, opposing the Islamic Republic regime and expressing his views against them and Ayatollah Khomeini at every opportunity during his concerts. During his years in Europe, he performed concerts in various countries. One of his most controversial concerts was on Nowruz 1987 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, where he took a stand against the Islamic Republic and Khomeini. He said: "I stand for my people. I shield my chest! We will set nationality against religion. Against Allahu Akbar, we will say ‘long live Iran.’ Against Ashura and Tasua (days of mourning in Shiite Islam), we will celebrate Nowruz. Don't be afraid of the worthless passport they may or may not give to you! Khomeini couldn't silence me! One day our nation will be free, and that day is not far away. Remember that culture always triumphs over oppression and tyranny." Mr. Farokhzad mocked Khomeini and his treatise book in this concert.

During the Iran-Iraq war, Mr. Farokhzad traveled from Germany to Iraq two or three times to perform for Iranian prisoners of war. He tried to find ways to help the young Iranian prisoners and managed to get several groups of these children out of Iraq. Together with Mr. Sa'id Mohammadi, he founded an organization in New York called "Organization for Supporting Iranian Children Captive in Iraq" to help the imprisoned children in Iraq. In an interview, he said, "I suffered a lot, especially when we went to Baghdad at the invitation of the International Red Cross and met with their representatives to visit the imprisoned children. It was a world of pain, suffering and sorrow for me that had nothing to do with the show, but I sang for them anyway. We laughed a lot together, and when I said goodbye to them, both they and I were in tears.” (Farokhzad's interview on ITN television) However, some Iranians living in Los Angeles filed complaints against him, accusing him of financial misconduct and forgery. Upon his return to the United States on March 16, 1992, Mr. Farokhzad was arrested by the police but was released on bail the next day. He was able to prove in court that he had given the money to the United Nations and the Red Cross to help the children.

In 1987, Mr. Farokhzad also began collaborating with the radio of the Derafsh-e Kaviani Organization**. According to one of the organization's representatives, the radio program 'Hello Neighbors', which was broadcast once a week, had a large audience and many fans. (Radio Sweden, August 8, 1992)

After his mother – whom he loved dearly – became ill, Mr. Farokhzad was desperate to see her. According to his sister, Puran Farokhzad, he contacted Shirin Ebadi, a lawyer at the time, and said, "I had gone to the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Germany, explained my mother's illness, and expressed my wish to see her before she died. I asked for a passport and wanted to return to Iran" (Shahrvand, June 22, 2020). His sister relayed that the embassy had stipulated a condition for his return to Iran, namely that he should "commit to not singing, holding concerts, or engaging in musical activities in Iran.” Fereidun, crying on the phone, said, "I already knew that I wouldn't be able to continue my artistic activities after my return to Iran. But to make such a commitment is another matter, it's like ordering my own tombstone. I am an artist, and it is very difficult for me to give up music. Besides, I will need money anyway. But despite all this, I have accepted the condition to see my mother.” (Puran Farokhzad's interview with BBC)

Approximately eight years after leaving Iran and residing in exile (presumably in 1989), Mr. Farokhzad, in an interview that later gave rise to speculation regarding his proximity to the Islamic Republic of Iran, expressed his longing to return to Iran with a broken and depressed demeanor. He said, "To build our country, we must sit together and live together. Just because someone is in power doesn't mean that the rest are damned; the rest are the people. As long as we think that one is in power and the rest are damned, it is wrong. One is in power and runs the country, and the rest are also building their country. It's like a boss and other workers, but not a jailer and prisoners.” He also expressed his desire to return to Iran: "I am a human being, a free-thinking person. I hope as I sit here with you today, that I can return to my country, take steps for the people of Iran, be constructive, put one brick on top of another, plant a tree, cultivate a sapling, and write a book. Do I always have to perform in a show or sing? ....” He expressed regret and said: "I left Iran and today, thinking back, I must tell you that I wish I hadn't. Really, I wish I hadn't" (Mr. Farokhzad's interview with Diana Rafi'i in Hamburg - Free Iran Television, 1989 or 1990).

Mr. Farokhzad's interaction with security officials from the Islamic Republic at the Iranian Embassy resulted in the dissolution of his collaboration with the Derafsh Kaviani Organization. In the Mykonos court case, Manuchehr Ganji, the leader of the Derafsh Kaviani organization, stated that Farokhzad had informed him about the demands of the Islamic Republic officials: "In January 1992, Farokhzad informed me in my office in Paris that he had been asked to reveal the identities of those in the organization and those close to myself. I advised him to terminate his contract with them, but he persisted in these communications. Consequently, on February 11, 1992, I terminated his association with the organization." (Book: The Judge is Still in Berlin)

Ultimately, Mr. Farokhzad opted not to return to Iran. His sister indicated that he had been "briefly deceived" and had "naively spoken about changes in the situation in Iran, returning to his homeland, and showcasing his talents there." (Monthly Magazine Payam-e Emruz - Issue 36 - February 1999). Nevertheless, Mr. Farokhzad did not cooperate with the Iranian authorities.

In 1991, Mr. Farokhzad played the role of a Hezbollahi man in the film "My Love Vienna," directed by Hushang Allahyari. A report by Mr. Reynaldo Galindo-Pohl, the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, indicated that some Iranian officials considered the film to be anti-Islamic.*** (Galindo Pohl's Report on Human Rights Violations in Iran, January 28, 1993)

During one of his last concerts in Vancouver, Canada, in the early summer of 1992, he spoke harshly against the officials of the Islamic Republic, saying: "In a country where the president is Hashemi Rafsanjani, but the poet is Hafez, where the revolutionary prosecutor is Musavi Ardebili, who completely resembles a cow, the poet is Rumi. You know, I don't come from a country whose leader today makes me proud. I am ashamed to say that I am Iranian, whereas historically being Iranian has been a point of pride. What has happened to us? Have we become the same as the Germans during Hitler's time, who were ashamed to say that our leader is Adolf Hitler?” He continued: "Shame on those people who, all these years, didn't realize that there is a difference between a criminal and a scholar. They even followed the criminal. Start praying, grow beards! It's very bad to be a spiritual prostitute. It's better to sell your body than to sell your soul to a criminal in Jamaran {Khomeini's House}. A million people from our country have been killed. What are you failing to see that makes you still return to that country with this passport, wear a veil, submit to a criminal, and forget about human freedom and liberty? ... Crying won't solve my pain or yours; it's a political struggle, not in Los Angeles, but in Tehran, in Khani Abad." At the end of his speech and singing the unofficial national anthem "Ey Iran," he chanted: "Long live Iran, long live the people of Iran, long live freedom and democracy in Iran, down with the fascist Islamic Republic regime."

Mr. Farokhzad's activities abroad had affected his family in Iran, resulting in pressure on his family by security officials. Ms. Puran Farokhzad, Mr. Farokhzad's sister, said: "Since early May 1992, a man with the alias Dr. ... (Ms. Farokhzad named this doctor, but the magazine did not provide the name), along with two others, and sometimes a person claiming to be an employee of the Foreign Ministry, began to harass me in my office." They made extensive efforts to convince her through "bribery, deception, and sometimes intimidation and threats" to travel to Germany to persuade her brother to return. "They wanted him to return to television and resume his work, as they put it, under the planned programs to restore calm in Iran." However, after officials became frustrated with Farokhzad’s lack of cooperation, they increased the pressure. She continued: "Eventually, when they failed with me, they took a different method, controlling my movements and social interactions. My phone was also monitored, and my office was not safe from their attacks. They broke down office doors, damaged room doors, broke locks on cabinets, opened files, and examined private and company documents. This even extended to my daughter's workplace.” (Monthly magazine Payam-e Emruz - Issue 36 - February 1999)

Background of Extrajudicial Killings by the Islamic Republic of Iran

The Islamic Republic of Iran has a long history of politically motivated violence in Iran and around the world. Since the 1979 Revolution, Islamic Republic operatives inside and outside the country have engaged in kidnapping, disappearing, and killing a large number of individuals whose activities they deemed undesirable. The actual number of the victims of extrajudicial killings inside Iran is not clear; however, these murders began in February 1979 and have continued since then, both inside and outside Iran. The Abdorrahman Boroumand Center has so far identified over 540 killings outside Iran attributed to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Dissidents have been assassinated by the agents of the Islamic Republic outside Iran in countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, India, and Pakistan in Asia; Dubai, Iraq, and Turkey in the Middle East; Cyprus, France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and Great Britain in Europe; and the United States across the Atlantic Ocean. In most cases, there has not been much published, and local authorities have not issued arrest warrants. But documentation, evidence, and traces obtained through investigations conducted by local police and judicial authorities confirm the theory of state committed crimes. In some instances, these investigations have resulted in the expulsion or arrest of Iranian diplomats. In a few cases outside Iran, the perpetrators of these murders have been arrested and put on trial. The evidence presented revealed the defendants’ connection to Iran’s government institutions, and an arrest warrant has been issued for Iran’s Minister of Information.

The manner in which these killings were organized and implemented in Iran and abroad is indicative of a single pattern which, according to Roland Chatelin, the Swiss prosecutor, contains common parameters and detailed planning. It can be ascertained from the similarities between these murders in different countries that the Iranian government is the principal entity that ordered the implementation of these crimes. Iranian authorities have not officially accepted responsibility for these murders and have even attributed their commission to internal strife in opposition groups. Nevertheless, since the very inception of the Islamic Republic regime, the Islamic Republic officials have justified these crimes from an ideological and legal standpoint. In the spring of 1979, Sadeq Khalkhali, the first Chief Shari’a Judge of the Islamic Revolutionary Courts, officially announced the regime’s decision to implement extrajudicial executions and justified the decision: “ … These people have been sentenced to death; from the Iranian people’s perspective, if someone wants to assassinate these individuals abroad, in any country, no government has any right to bring the perpetrator to trial as a terrorist, because such a person is the implementing agent of the sentence issued by the Islamic Revolutionary Court. Therefore, they are Mahduroddam and their sentence is death regardless of where they are.” More than 10 years after these proclamations, in a speech about the security forces’ success, Ali Fallahian, the regime’s Minister of Information, stated the following regarding the elimination of members of the opposition: “ … We have had success in inflicting damage to many of these little groups outside the country and on our borders.”

At the same time, various political, judicial, and security officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran have, at different times and occasions, confirmed the existence of a long term government policy for these extrajudicial killings and in some cases their implementation. 

Read more about the background of extrajudicial killings in the Islamic Republic of Iran by clicking on the left hand highlight with the same title.

Just as an effective politician can serve the people, a talented artist can make a significant impact through film, theater, or other forms of artistic expression.

Mr. Fereidun Farokhzad’s threats and extrajudicial execution

According to available information, Mr. Fereidun Farokhzad was most likely murdered on Saturday, August 1, or Sunday, August 2, 1992, in his apartment in Bonn, Germany. The police discovered his body in the kitchen on August 6 at 11:30 p.m.. The death certificate places his time of death between 7 p.m. on July 31 and 11 p.m. on August 6. However, according to his sister, who spoke with him daily, his death may have occurred on August 1 or 2.

Neighbors called the police after hearing the constant barking of Mr. Farokhzad's dogs, Barfi and Blackie. According to police, the dogs were locked in the bathroom. 

Mr. Farokhzad died of stab wounds. Some reports indicate that he was stabbed in the mouth, that a knife was left in his mouth, and that a dagger was thrust into his shoulder from behind. His body had decomposed more quickly than usual because the killers had left the electric stove on, but his face was still recognizable. (Radio Farda - August 10, 2019)

Based on the available information, two to three individuals had visited Mr. Farokhzad's apartment. Before their arrival, he purchased a watermelon (or, according to Mr. Hosein Mansuri, Forugh Farokhzad's son, a quantity of tomatoes) from a nearby Iranian market and informed the shopkeeper that he would be hosting Iranian guests. (Radio Farda, August 10, 2019)

On August 8, 1992, the German police formally notified his family of his death. His brother, Mehrdad, traveled to Germany on behalf of the family to officially identify his brother's body. Following the completion of the autopsy and the associated legal procedures, the body was handed over to Mehrdad. Besides  the incisions made on Farokhzad's chest and abdomen during the autopsy, the only other wounds observed were stab wounds on his shoulder. (Radio Farda, August 10, 2019)

In discussing her brother's murder, Puran Farokhzad mentioned the testimony of the owner of the small supermarket located below Fereidun's apartment. According to this testimony, a friend called Fereidun while he was shopping that day. This friend told him that two fans who had come from Iran were eager to meet him and would be visiting him for dinner (accompanied by the unidentified friend). According to the supermarket owner, a man, presumably the unidentified friend, first entered Fereidun's apartment that evening. Fifteen minutes later, two men got out of a car and entered his apartment. Shortly after, all three hurriedly left the apartment and drove away. (Monthly magazine Payam-e Emruz - Issue 36 - February 1999)

During his years of activism in various fields, Mr. Farokhzad has been repeatedly threatened by individuals and groups affiliated with the Iranian government but in the last years of his life, these threats had increased significantly. According to one of Mr. Farokhzad's friends: "After the London concert, he received many threatening phone calls. However, after the concert in Canada (summer 1991), the threats escalated and calls were made to his host's house. When the phone rang, they specifically asked for Fereidun. When Fereidun answered, his complexion changed and sweat appeared on his forehead. When asked why he looked pale, he replied that while he had always been threatened by them, this time the threat was different. That night, after the concert in Canada, they told Fereidun: 'We will kill you either here in Canada or in Europe!’” (Kayhan London - August 6, 2020). According to Manuchehr Ganji, leader of the Derafsh Kaviani organization, "Morteza Rahmani Movahed, then Iran's deputy ambassador in Bonn, along with Morteza Gholami, had reportedly threatened to kill him if he would not collaborate with the regime." (The Sad Eastern Documentary). In addition, according to a report issued on January 26, 1993 by Mr. Galindo Pohl, then the UN Human Rights Rapporteur for Iran, Dr. Javad Ghodsi had warned him about his anti-regime activities.  According to this report, based on Mr. Farokhzad's statements, Iranian officials threatened to kill him through a person named Mr. Ali Gholami, allegedly an agent of the secret police, and another person named Morteza Rahmani Movahed.

After a year-long investigation into Mr. Farokhzad's murder, the German Federal Criminal Police found evidence pointing to the involvement of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In their report, "Understanding State Terrorism in Iran," published on October 22, 1993, the authors stated that by tracking 21 cases of assassination, espionage, and kidnapping of Iranians abroad and using information from the German intelligence agency along with their own investigations, they were able to identify the involvement of Iranian authorities. In addition, the report stated that one of Mr. Farokhzad's close friends either participated in the murder or was with the killers on the day of the incident.

After the police investigation, the brother of one of Mr. Farokhzad's old friends, along with another old friend of his brother and a few other Iranians, were the only people who retrieved his body from the police and buried it in a cemetery in the city of Bonn.

On September 8, 2007, fifteen years after Mr. Farokhzad's burial, his original grave was about to be demolished due to the regulations of the city of Bonn. At that time, a friend representing the Farokhzad family in Germany received permission to move his body. His remains were transferred to the “cimetière bonn nordfriedhof” and a plaque was placed on Mr. Farokhzad's grave which reads: "Farokhzad was brutally murdered in his apartment by terrorist agents of the Islamic Republic in 1992".

Various opinions have been expressed about Mr. Farokhzad's murder. However, it is clear that Mr. Farokhzad suffered from severe depression in the last days of his life and had minimal contact with others.

Two months before he was killed, he wrote to his brother: "Dear Mehrdad, I wish I could come back and hug you, kiss you and remember the happy days I spent with you and the other kids – I am dying of loneliness. If I die, please write this poem on my grave and bury me next to Forugh or my mother. Yours, Fereidun" (Radio Farda, August 10, 2019).

German Officials’ Reaction

According to available information, the German police did not take effective action to investigate Mr. Farokhzad's murder. His case was shelved for years and there is still no accurate information on the outcome of the investigation.

After discovering Mr. Farokhzad's body, the German police put out a notice with his photo asking if anyone had seen him alive after Sunday, August 1, 1992. 

They initially focused on his private life, and his boyfriend was arrested but released after a week. (German newspaper TAZ)

On January 5, 1993, the Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN in Geneva, in response to inquiries from the UN Special Representative for Iran about Mr. Farokhzad's death, wrote "There is no evidence of the involvement of Iranian officials in the murder of Mr. Farokhzad." (Galindo-Pohl Report on Human Rights Violations in Iran, January 28, 1993). However, Mr. Muller, the investigator of the case, told a representative of Farokhzad's family that pursuing the case was dangerous and recommended it be abandoned. (Payam Emrooz, Issue 36, February 1999).

In 1999, the German Federal Criminal Police received key information from a witness known as “Witness C” about the mechanism of overseas assassinations by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and those involved. Despite this, they did not actively pursue the case, and it remained dormant. In 2003, following the murder of another Iranian, Ali Akbar Mohammadi, in Hamburg and the family's filing of a lawsuit, a new investigation was launched into the involvement of Iranian security commandos in Mr. Farokhzad's murder. However, this investigation has made only limited progress. (Focus, February 9, 2004)

Omid Nuripur, a member of the German parliament, questioned the government on its actions regarding the 1992 murder of Fereidun Farokhzad, citing the Federal Criminal Police's assessment of political motives. He asked, "What political measures is the German government taking based on the judicial investigation into the murder of Iranian citizen Fereidun Farokhzad, a singer and dissident, in Bonn in 1992?” In response, Deputy Minister Dr. Helmut Teichmann stated on July 10, 2020, that the German Federal Prosecutor's Office had taken over the investigation into Farokhzad's murder from the Bonn Public Prosecutor's Office in 2004 because of the background information on the crime. The investigation was ended in 2004 under Section 170(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure but was reopened in 2007. It is still ongoing under the supervision of the Federal Criminal Police, but no political measures have been taken so far due to the status of the investigation. (19th German Bundestag, July 13, 2020). Nuripur also commented in an interview that there is obviously political pressure to avoid discussing the details of Farokhzad's murder, as these details could be highly damaging and affect relations between Iran and Germany. (Radio Farda - Sad Eastern Documentary)

The case of Mr. Farokhzad’s murder is still open and will be pursued if new evidence is found, as murder and assassination have no statute of limitations under German law.

Iranian Officials’ Reaction

The Kayhan newspaper expressed contradictory views on Mr. Farokhzad's murder. In the initial article published the day after the body was discovered, Kayhan attributed the murder to monarchists with whom Farokhzad had conflicts. (Kayhan, August 8, 1992). However, three days later, the article quoted the German police as stating that "Farokhzad was likely a victim of his homosexuality." (Kayhan, August 11, 1992).

Following Mr. Farokhzad's murder, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Bonn issued a statement condemning the murder as a "heinous" act. The statement claimed that Mr. Farokhzad was "preparing to return to Iran" and had "recently contacted Iranian representatives abroad in an attempt to return to Iran and work within the law.” It accused the MEK of being responsible for the murder, stating: "Given his recent comments at a concert in Ottawa, in issue 980 of Kayhan on May 13, and in other gatherings where he attacked the MEK, it is highly likely that this act was carried out by them. The Iranian Embassy strongly condemns this barbaric act aimed at undermining the security and peace of the Iranian community abroad and urges the German government and police to seriously investigate and clarify this crime." (Kayhan, August 11, 1992). The Kayhan newspaper criticized the Iranian embassy officials in Bonn, stating, "Even diplomatic passivity and flexibility have their limits." (Kayhan, August 11, 1992).

Hosein Musavian, Iran's ambassador to Germany at the time, denied Iran's responsibility for the murder. Referring to Farokhzad's relationship with Mr. Rahmani, the cultural attaché at the embassy, he emphasized Rahmani's decision for Farokhzad to return to Iran: "At the embassy during that time, I swear to God, we handled it with complete honesty, warmth, and sincerity. We coordinated with the legal authorities, who said if he wanted to come back, he should. We got approval for his return. Mr. Rahmani even informed Farokhzad himself and he was preparing for it when suddenly the incident happened.” (Radio Farda - Sad Eastern Documentary)

On November 24, 1992, the Islamic Republic, through its representative to the United Nations, officially responded to a letter from Mr. Galindo-Pohl, the Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights, by denying responsibility for Farokhzad's murder. The response stated: "According to the German police investigations, the murderer of Feridun Farokhzad was a homosexual and his motivation was sex-related, not a political matter. Although the above information has not been proven and the investigations continue, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Bonn has announced its readiness to collaborate with judicial and police authorities. At the same time, it has demanded urgent measures to identify Farokhzad’s murderer or murderers. The person who killed Farokhzad is most assuredly an opponent of the Iranian regime. Mr. Farokhzad condemned the Mojahedin’s collaboration with Saddam in a meeting held in Canada, and a number of Iranians who gathered there had joined him in deeming them Saddam’s mercenaries and spies.” (Report by Reynaldo Galindo-Pohl on Human Rights Violations in Iran, January 28, 1993)

Family’s Reaction

In February 2000, Puran Farokhzad finally broke her family's six-year silence and wrote to the Committee for the Defense of Victims of Chain Political Murders to tell them about her brother's murder. She stated, "After seven years of silence due to fear and terror from the hidden and overt threats of those whose hands are stained with the blood of innocent dissidents, I am reaching out to this committee for the first time about the murder of my brother, Fereidun Farokhzad, an independent artist who was killed in Germany. I am confident that with the committee's support, we can raise our voices and demand an investigation into this horrific crime. We will uncover the truth, which is clearer than the summer sun. (Payam-e Emrooz Magazine, Issue 36)

According to Mrs Farokhzad, her brother had planned to leave Germany permanently and move to Canada a few days before his murder. Although he was granted a visa by the Canadian government on several occasions, he was denied a visa on the last time. (Letter from Puran to the Committee for the Defence of Victims of Chain murders). Mrs Farokhzad stated that in Canada "they had arranged everything for him, even rented him a house. He told me that he was under considerable threat and felt unsafe. Irene ****, the actress, had traveled from Europe and told me that Fereidun had expressed concerns about being threatened with death and currently living in constant fear.” (Interview of Mrs Puran Farokhzad with the BBC)

In an interview, Mrs. Farokhzad stated: "I was extremely worried for the past three days before I heard the news of his death. I didn't know what was wrong with me, but I knew I couldn't do anything. I had a feeling it was going to happen. I knew things had happened before, but I never thought it would go this far. I thought it was just empty threats like always. But that night when they called, they had been looking for us since the morning. For three days, no matter how much we called, Fereidun wouldn't answer. (Interview of Mrs. Puran Farokhzad with the BBC)

Shirin Ebadi described how she was approached by Puran Farokhzad with a request to serve as legal counsel in the case of the murder of her brother. “One day, my old friend Puran Farokhzad came to my law office and asked me to represent her in the case of her brother Fereidun Farokhzad's murder and to file a complaint. I asked her why she didn't think of this sooner. She replied, "They never thought it was possible to file a case against murders committed by government officials." But now that she saw me acting as the lawyer for the victims' families and the cases being investigated, she was encouraged and believed that Fereidun's murderer could be found and punished.” However, Mr. Farokhzad's mother flatly refused to sign the power of attorney and told Ms. Ebadi, "I won't file a complaint. I have already lost two of my children, Forugh and Fereidun. I am not prepared to lose a third. I am not willing to give power of attorney because I know that in the Islamic Republic, this case will not be handled justly. By giving power of attorney and filing a complaint, we will not achieve anything, and I might also lose my third child. Rest assured that all these efforts are in vain.” (Shahrvand - June 22, 2020)

Ms. Ebadi explained the failure to file the complaint on behalf of Mr. Farokhzad's family: "Despite the mother's opposition, Puran was keen to pursue the case and asked me to see if I could file the complaint at her request without informing her mother. So I did as she asked and spoke to the investigating judge about filing another complaint. But just as Puran's mother had predicted, the request didn't even result in a case being opened. They refused to accept my power of attorney and made so many excuses and complicated the matter by saying that this case involved four murders and had to be filed in such a specific way that we ended up in a dead end.” (Shahrvand - June 22, 2020)

Impacts on Family

According to available information, Mr. Farokhzad's activities have taken a heavy toll on his family in Iran, causing them to remain silent for six years. Mehran, Farokhzad's younger brother, who had been employed in Germany and subsequently returned to Iran to visit his family, was prohibited from leaving the country and subsequently taken hostage. Amir Mas'ud, Farokhzad's elder brother, was a proficient and patriotic doctor who subsequently became unwell and suffered from depression. Colonel Farokhzad, his father, suffered a stroke. During the period of their father's hospitalization, Mehran had an asthma attack while asleep and passed away. Shortly thereafter, the Colonel also died in the hospital. Mehran's wife committed suicide. Mr. Farokhzad's mother became bedridden and observed the painful decline of her formerly capable and talented family for years. (Puran - The Eternal Tribute - March 14, 2003)

Ms. Puran Farokhzad states her immediate reaction to the news of her brother's death: "When we heard the news, I lost consciousness and was bedridden until morning. I was ill for an entire year, and even now, believe me, it's hard to think about it because I loved Fereidun so much." She continues, "Fereidun's death severely damaged my memory. I'm sorry (she starts to cry). Even after sixteen or eighteen years, it still doesn't feel acceptable to me. My mother, father, two brothers, and everyone else went into depression and passed away one after another. Our lives ended with them. Everything ended with Fereidun's death." (Interview of Ms. Puran Farokhzad with the BBC)

--------------------------------

*The Siahkal Incident: The Siahkal Incident, also known as the Siahkal Rebellion or the Siahkal Movement, was an armed attack by supporters of the Organization of Iranian People's Fada'i Guerrillas on the Siahkal gendarmerie post on February 8, 1971. The goal was to free one of the organization's detained members.

Ali Akbar Safa’i Farahani and Hamid Ashraf led the Fada'i Guerrillas during this operation. The group had two sections: an urban team and a rural team. They began their mission on September 6, 1970, in the Makar Valley near Chalus.

On the evening of February 8, 1971, thirteen armed guerrillas, equipped with rifles, machine guns, and hand grenades, attacked the gendarmerie post in Siahkal, located on the edge of the forests in Gilan Province. The Shah was quick to react, sending his brother to lead a formidable military force to the area. This included commandos, helicopters, and police. In the pursuit and skirmishes that followed, several conscript soldiers of the Imperial Iranian Army and two Fada'i guerrillas were killed. Eleven guerrillas were arrested. Ten were executed by firing squad, and one died under torture.

Mehdi Es'haqi and Mohammad Rahim Sama'i were two guerrillas killed in a clash on March 1. Ali Akbar Safa'i Farahani, Ahmad Farhudi, Mohammad Ali Mohades Qandchi, Naser Seif Dalil Safa'i, Hadi Bandeh Khoda Langrudi, Shoaa' al-Din Mashidi, Eskandar Rahimi, Ghafur Hasanpur Asil, Mohammad Hadi Fazeli, Abas Danesh Behzadi, Hushang Nayeri, Jalil Enferadi, and Esma'il Mo'ini Araqi were executed by firing squad on March 17. (Wikipedia)

**The Derafsh Kaviani Organization was a monarchist group opposed to the Islamic Republic of Iran. It was founded in Paris in 1987 by Manuchehr Ganji, Minister of Education under Amir Abbas Hoveida, and Ja'far Sharif Emami. At the same time, the organization launched a radio station called "Voice of Derafsh Kaviani Iran" in Cairo, Egypt, which broadcasts programs in Persian for four hours a day. The organization operated against the Iranian government by distributing audio and video tapes and broadcasting on Radio Derafsh Kaviani inside Iran. In 1998, the Derafsh Kaviani Organization changed its name to the Organization for Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms for Iran.

***Economic and Social Council 

Distr.GENERAL --- 

E/CN.4/1989/26

26 January 1989

• In early August 1992, Mr. Fereidoun Farokhzad-Araghi, an Iranian poet, movie actor 

• After the 1979 Islamic revolution, he was imprisoned and then released and finally escaped from the country. Some four years ago, he began producing a one-hour weekly radio programme for the radio station “Voice of the Flag of Freedom Organization of Iran”. He had reported to this organization that Dr. Javad Ghodssi had warned him about his anti-regime activities. Mr. Ali Gholami, allegedly an agent of the secret police, and Mr. Morteza Rahmani-Movahhed had reportedly also threatened to kill him if he would not collaborate with the regime. Mr. Farokhzad-Araghi took part in a film, Vienna my Love, which was considered anti-Islamic by some Iranian authorities.

• On 11 November 1992, the Special Representative addressed a letter to the Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations Office at Geneva requesting his Government to provide any information it might be able to on the investigation into the above-mentioned crime. 

• On 5 January 1993, the Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations Office at Geneva addressed a letter to the Special Representative stating the following: “In the case of Mr. Fereidoun Farokhazad-Araghi, investigations have not furnished any proof of participation of Iranian officials in the assassination”. 

• The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran in its reply of 24 November 1992, stated the following: 

“According to the German police investigations, the murderer of Feridoun Farokhzad was a homosexual and his motivation was sex-related, not a political matter. Although the above information has not been proved and the investigations continue, the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Bonn has announced its readiness to collaborate with judicial and police authorities. At the same time, it has demanded urgent measures to identify Farokhzad’s murderer or murderers. The person who killed Farokhzad is most assuredly an opponent of the Iranian regime. Mr. Farokhzad condemned the Mojahedin’s collaboration with Saddam in a meeting held in Canada, and a number of Iranians who gathered there had joined him in deeming them Saddam’s mercenaries and spies”.

**** Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Irene Zazians was a famous Iranian-Armenian actress.