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

Mohammad Valizadeh

About

Age: 29
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Unknown
Civil Status: Single

Case

Date of Killing: April 14, 2010
Location of Killing: Babolsar, Mazandaran Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Unspecified offense; Rape

About this Case

News of the conviction and execution of Mr. Mohammad Valizadeh, along with two others, was published on the websites of Fars news agency, Mazandnumeh, and Darya on April 14, the Iran newspaper on April 15, and Shomal News on February 26 and April 15, 2010.

Mr. Valizadeh was 29, a resident of Kiakola in Mazandaran Province. During an interview with the Iran newspaper, Mr. Mohammad Valizadeh stated that he was the second child of a family of six. His family was kind to him, but he went to Bobolsar and began working in a car dealership to achieve financial independence and continue his education simultaneously at the age of seventeen. After three years, he bought a car and rented a house without his family’s knowledge.

Arrest and Detention

According to the Iran newspaper, quoting the Head of Police Information in Mazandaran, the investigation and search to identify defendants began in the summer of 2007 following a complaint by an individual. Finally Mr. Valizadeh along with two others was identified through computer image making: one of the defendants was identified and arrested on August 6, 2007. Soon after, the other two defendants were also arrested.

Trial

No information is available on the defendant’s trial. This trial took place at the Punitive Court of Mazandaran in May of 2009.

Charges

The charges against Mr. Mohammad Valizadeh and two other defendants were announced as "kidnapping and rape." According to Mazandaran Police News Agency a pregnant woman went to the police station in Babolsar and complained. According to this woman, a stranger followed her and gave her his phone number. She contacted him in order to make him stop the harassment, but he threatened her. A few days later, when she left her house, the stranger forced her to ride in his vehicle. He took her to an unknown place, raped her, and abandoned her in a street. Sometime later, five female students went to the Intelligence Police and complained about three young men including Mr. Valizadeh. They claimed that these men schemed to their become friends, drugged them while drinking coffee, and raped them. According to this news agency 13 women and girls pressed charges against Mr. Valizadeh and the two others.

Evidence of Guilt

The evidence presented against the defendant was announced as "plaintiffs’ statements, physicians’ statements, and other evidence and documents."

Defence

During the investigation process, the defendants including Mr. Valizadeh denied the charges and stated that they were friends with the plaintiffs who went out with them of their own free will.

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. Each year Iranian authorities sentence to death hundreds of alleged common criminals, following judicial processes that fail to meet international standards. The exact number of people convicted based on trumped-up charges is unknown.

Judgment

The court condemned Mr. Mohammad Valizadeh to 15 years imprisonment for kidnapping and to death and lashes for rape. The ruling was confirmed by Branch 27 of the Supreme Court. The Judicial Pardon Commission rejected the defendant’s request for pardon and he was hanged at Emamali Square in Babolsar on April 14, 2010. Mr. Mohammad Valizadeh was 29 years old.

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