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

Afshin Mohammadzadeh

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: December 21, 1979
Location of Killing: Mashhad, Khorasan\Khorasan-e Razavi Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Shooting
Charges: Homosexual act; Drug trafficking

About this Case

The information regarding Mr. Afshin Mohamadzadeh’s execution along with 6 others was drawn from Kayhan Daily on 22 December 1979.

Arrest and detention

The circumstances of Mr. Mohamadzadeh’s arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

The Revolutionary Tribunal of Mashhad tried Mr. Mohamadzadeh.

Charges

Kayhan Daily reported Mr. Mohamadzadeh’s charges as “sodomy (specifically receiving) and distributing drugs inside and outside the prison.”

Evidence of guilt

No information is available concerning the evidence presented against the defendant.

Defense

No information is available concerning Mr. Mohamadzadeh’s defense and it is not clear if he had the opportunity to defend himself effectively, for example whether he had access to a lawyer or the possibility to summon witnesses in his favor, etc. Regardless of the legitimacy of criminalization of a person’s sexual orientation, 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 the Islamic Republic’s authorities have brought trumped-up charges against their political opponents and executed them for drug trafficking, sexual, and other criminal offenses. The exact number of people convicted based on trumped-up charges is unknown.

Judgment

The Revolutionary Tribunal of Mashhad sentenced Mr. Mohamadzadeh to death. This verdict was carried out at dawn on 21 December 1979.

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