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

Gholamhossein Qena'ati

About

Age: 28
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Non-Believer
Civil Status: Married

Case

Date of Killing: November 23, 1983
Location of Killing: Iran
Mode of Killing: Death in custody
Charges: Unknown charge

About this Case

The information about Mr. Gholamhossein Qena'ati is taken from the book Tudeh Martyrs, copyright 2001 by the Tudeh Party of Iran Publications. He was born in Kazerun. He was an agricultural engineer having graduated from Shiraz University. He joined the Tudeh Party in 1978 and was active in its underground organization.

The Tudeh Party of Iran was created in 1941. The Tudeh's ideology was Marxist-Leninist and it supported policies of the former Soviet Union. The Party played a major role in Iran's political scene until it was banned for the second time following the August 19, 1953 coup. After the 1979 Revolution, the Tudeh declared Ayatollah Khomeini and the Islamic Republic regime revolutionaries and anti-imperialists and actively supported the new government. Although the Party never opposed the Islamic Republic, it became the target of government attacks in 1982 when most of the Party's leaders and members were imprisoned.

Arrest and detention

The circumstances of this defendant’s arrest and detention are not known. Mr. Qena'ati was arrested on April 27, 1983. According to the book, he was denied visitation with his family and was only allowed to talk to them for a few minutes on the phone a couple of times while in detention. The last time he talked to his family was after the officials asked and received a 100 thousand Toman bribe from his family. Two days later, the prison officials called and informed his family that "he committed suicide by using the bathroom mirror". After repeated visits and inquiries from his family, the officials stated: "he did not cooperate."

Trial

No information is available on the defendant’s trial.

Charges

No information is available on Mr. Qena'ati’s charges.

Evidence of guilt

The report of this execution contains no evidence provided against the defendant.

Defence

No information is available about the defendant’s defence.

Judgment

Based on the information available in the book, Mr. Qena'ati died under torture on November 22, 1983. No information is available about a ruling against him. According to the same source, the officials did not deliver his tortured body to his family, and refused to point out his burial location for a year. They threatened the family that since their son was an "infidel", they were not allowed to have a memorial ceremony.

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