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

Mojtaba Zebar

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Unknown
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: July 8, 2000
Location of Killing: Iran
Mode of Killing: Unspecified execution method
Charges: Drug trafficking

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Mojtaba Zebar, known as Zebardast, along with five others, was published in the Jomhuri-Eslami newspaper on July 11, 2000.    

Arrest and Detention

There is no specific information on Mr. Zebar’s arrest and detention.

Trial

No information is available on Mr. Zebar’s trial. According to the report, the Islamic Revolutionary Court investigated the case against these defendants.   

Charges

The charges against Mr. Zebar were announced as "dealing 5 kilograms of heroin known as Ashk; dealing and transporting 204 kilograms of morphine in Tehran, Orumieh, Iranshahr, and Yazd; dealing 616 kilograms of opium in Tehran, Orumieh, and Yazd; dealing 7 kilograms of heroin and 10 kilograms of hashish in one occasion; continuous activity in trafficking narcotics; and dealing and distributing heroin and morphine across the country in multiple occasions."       

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 or methadone). The exact number of people convicted based on trumped-up charges is unknown.

Evidence of Guilt

The report of this execution did not provide any specific information on the evidence presented against Mr. Zebar.

Defense

No information is available on Mr. Zebar's defense.    

Judgment

The court condemned Mr. Mojtaba Zebar to death and the ruling was confirmed by the Supreme Court. He was executed on July 8, 2000. No specific information is available about the location of this execution.          

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