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

Qasem Shahbakhsh

About

Age: 56
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: July, 2001
Location of Killing: Zahedan, Sistan Va Baluchestan Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Drug trafficking

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Qasem Shahbakhsh, from Zahedan, along with two others, was published in the Kayhan newspaper on July 9, 2001.  

Arrest and detention

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

Trial

The Islamic Revolutionary Court of Birjand tried Mr. Shahbakhsh. No information is available on his trial.

Charges

The charge brought against Mr. Shahbakhsh was announced as “drug trafficking.” According to the report, he and his collaborators participated in transportation and distribution of over 4 tons of narcotics and in the killing of several security agents.

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 authorities have brought trumped-up charges, including drug trafficking, sexual, and other criminal offences, against their opponents (including political, civil society activists, as well as unionists and ethnic and religious minorities). 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. Shahbakhsh.

Defense

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

Judgment

The Islamic Revolutionary Court of Birjand condemned Mr. Qasem Shahbakhsh to death based on the referential ruling number 80. He was hanged in public in Zahedan in July of 2001. The exact date of this execution is unknown.

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