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

Vahid Shahbakhsh

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: September 25, 1987
Location of Killing: Zahedan, Sistan Va Baluchestan Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Drug trafficking; Participating in clashes with revolutionary guards and or Bassij brothers

About this Case

About this Case

The execution of Mr. Vahid Shahbakhsh, son of Lalkhan, along with fifteen others, was reported in the Kayhan newspaper on September 26, 1987. The newspaper reported: “The Islamic Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Sistan and Baluchestan Province issued the sentences in order to fight imperialism and the enemies of Islam, and convicted 6 American mercenaries who fought the Islamic Republic of Iran through spreading addiction and narcotics… The Prosecutor of Sistan and Baluchestan thanked the forces of the police and the Islamic Revolutionary Committees, who worked day and night in order to arrest the abovementioned individuals, and he warned the deceived mercenaries to surrender themselves to the forces of Islam before it is too late and not bring about dishonor and shame for themselves and their families.”

Arrest and detention

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

Trial

There is no information regarding this trial.

Charges

According to the newspaper, Mr. Shahbakhsh and two other men was collectively charged with “transportation of thousands of kilograms of drugs from Pakistan to Iran while armed, participation in five clashes with the courageous forces of police, which led to the martyrdom of some of them, participation in two clashes with the forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Committee, which led to the martyrdom of fourteen of them.”

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 offences. Thousands of alleged drug traffickers have been sentenced to death following judicial processes that fail to meet international standards. The exact number of people convicted based on trumped-up charges is unknown.

Evidence of guilt

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

Defense

No information is available concerning Mr. Shahbakhsh’s defense.

Judgment

The Islamic Revolutionary Tribunal of Zahedan declared Mr. Shahbakhsh a “corruptor on earth and an enemy of God and His Prophet” and sentenced him to death. Mr. Shahbakhsh and five other men were publicly hanged on September 25, 1987 in Zahedan.

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