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

Zahra Nazari

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: October 16, 2002
Location of Killing: Qasr Prison, Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Murder

About this Case

News of the execution of Ms. Zahra Nazari, along with three others, was published in the Iran newspaper on October 17, 2002. Additional information was taken from the Iran newspaper on January 21, 2002. 

Arrest and detention

Police had sought Ms. Nazari since December 17, 1999 following the death of her husband.  The circumstances of her arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

Branch 1602 of the Criminal Court of Tehran tried and issued the ruling against Ms. Nazari on March 3, 2001. No information is available on her trial.

Charges

The charge brought against Ms. Nazari was announced as “murder”. She was accused of murdering her husband by blows of a masher and holding down his head in a pot filled with water.” 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

The evidence presented against Ms. Nazari was her “confession.” (Iran newspaper)

International human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for its systematic use of severe torture and solitary confinement to obtain confessions from detainees and have questioned the authenticity of confessions obtained under duress.

Defense

Ms. Nazari stated in her defense that she killed her husband because he had dragged her into corruption.

Judgment

Branch 1602 of the Criminal Court of Tehran condemned Ms. Zahra Nazari to death and Branch 40 of the Supreme Court confirmed the ruling. She was hanged at the Qasr Prison yard on October 16, 2002. 

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