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

Jom'eh Azarkish

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Unknown
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: March 10, 1989
Location of Killing: Estahban, Fars Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Drug trafficking; Drug possession

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Jom’eh Azarkish, along with 80 other individuals who were executed in 27 different cities on one day, was published in the Jomhuri Eslami newspaper in 1989 quoting Announcement Number 7 from the Headquarters for Combating Narcotics. The announcement concludes: “The Headquarters for Combating Narcotics warns traitors and elements of colonialism and imperialism, who are actively involved in importing and distributing destructive narcotics, to stop their wicked activities before they are captured by the claws of Islamic justice, to surrender to the security forces, to provide all information they have on professional smugglers, and help arrest these merchants of death. Certainly, the Islamic Revolutionary Court does not hesitate to uproot corruptors and distributors of narcotics and will issue and execute God’s ruling against them.”

Arrest and Detention

The circumstances of this defendant’s arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

No information is available on the defendant’s trial. It took place in the Revolutionary Court of Estahbanat (Fars province).

Charges

The charges against Mr. Jom’eh Azarkish, along with another person, were announced as “widespread and active participation in supply and import of narcotics, specifically heroin.”

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 Islamic Republic authorities have brought trumped-up charges against their political opponents and executed them for alleged drug trafficking, sexual, and other criminal offences. Thousands of alleged drug traffickers have been sentenced to death following judicial processes that fail to meet international standards. Scores of them were executed based on a 1989 law imposing mandatory death sentences on drug traffickers found in possession of specified amounts of proscribed narcotics (5 kg of hashish or opium, and more than 30 grams of heroin, codeine, morphine, or methadone). The exact number of people convicted based on trumped-up charges is unknown.

Evidence of Guilt

According to the Headquarters for Combating Narcotics, “15 kilograms and 250 grams of heroin was discovered in the possession of the defendants.”

Defense

No information is available on Mr. Azarkish’s defense.

Judgment

Based on the court’s ruling, Mr. Jom’eh Azarkish was hanged in Estahbanat.

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