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

Javad Shoja'i

About

Age: 24
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: February 26, 2008
Location of Killing: Central Prison (Dastgerd), Esfahan, Esfahan Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Murder
Age at time of alleged offense: 16

About this Case

The execution of Mr. Javad Shoja’i was published in the E’temad Melli and Iran newspapers (Feb. 26 and 27 2008 respectively). Additional information has been drawn from an interview of his sister with Niusha Boqrati of Radio Farda (Feb. 26).

According to the available information, in year 2000, at the age of 16, Mr. Shoja’i was involved in an incident that led to the death of a friend. The details of this incident are not known.

Arrest and detention

The circumstances of Mr. Shoja’i’s arrest and detention are not known. He was arrested in 2000 and was in prison for 8 years.

Trial

There is no information regarding this trial other than Mr. Shoja’i was tried at Branch 9 of the Public and Criminal Court of Esfehan.

Charges

Mr. Shoja’i was charged with “murder”.

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 concerning the evidence presented against the accused.

Defense

No information is available concerning Mr. Shoja’i’s defense. It is not known whether or not he had an attorney. Regarding the deadly incident his sister stated: “They had a fight. There were three or four people that went to the house of the murdered [individual]. In the fight, it was unclear what actually happened and how it happened. Yesterday [the day before execution] that I saw my brother, he said ‘even after 8 years, I still don’t know what happened that he was murdered.’ The others involved all escaped. Only my brother remained.”

Judgment

Branch 9 of the Public and Criminal Court of Esfehan condemned Mr. Javad Shoja’i to death. Branch 27 of the Supreme Court approved this sentence. According to his sister, Mr. Shoja’i had a visit with his family a day before his execution: “It was an excruciating scene. He asked for forgiveness and said goodbye… [nevertheless] he said ‘even if they take me to the gallows, they still won’t kill me, the [family of the murdered person] will forgive me [and I will be pardoned].

On February 26, 2008, Mr. Shoja’i and two other individuals who were condemned to death, were taken to the gallows. The other two convicts were pardoned in the last moments. Mr. Shoja’i was hanged in Esfehan Central Prison.

According to his sister, the family of the murdered person “went to the prison around 4 in the morning to witness the implementation of the verdict. We all went there to ask them to pardon him. But whatever we did, whatever we said, they were not persuaded. We offered blood money, any thing, we begged them. But they said: ‘we just want him to be taken to the gallows, then we’ll pardon him.’ We were there until 9 when we were told that Javad had been executed.

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