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

Fereidun A'zami

About

Age: 36
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Non-Believer
Civil Status: Married

Case

Date of Killing: October 30, 1982
Location of Killing: Evin Prison, Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Shooting
Charges: Apostasy; Membership of anti-regime guerilla group

About this Case

Mr. Azami’s whole family was arrested, though he, a leader in Peykar, was never released.  A “symbol of resistance” some called him.

Information about the execution of Mr. Feridun A’zami is based on an interview with a person close to him and a report, entitled “In His Name,” published in the Bidaran website. He is also one of the 430 individuals whose names appear on the list of “Martyrs of the Peykar Organization for the Liberation of the Working Class,” published on the website of Peykar Andisheh. This list contains the names of those members of the organization who died after the Revolution of 1979. More than 400 of the individuals on this list have been executed.

Mr. Feridun A’zami had a bachelor’s degree from Jondishapur University. He was married and had two children. He was a leader of the Peykar Organization for Freedom of the Working Class. Under the previous regime, he was imprisoned from 1973 to 1976. During the revolution, he was active in Khuzestan Province and then moved to Tehran in 1981.

The Peykar Organization for the Liberation of the Working Class was founded by a number of dissident members of the Mojahedin Khalq Organization who had converted to Marxism-Leninism. Peykar was also joined by a number of political organizations, known as Khat-e Se (The Third Line). The founding tenets of Peykar included the rejection of guerrilla struggle and a strong stand against the pro-Soviet policies of the Iranian Tudeh Party. Peykar viewed the Soviet Union as a “social imperialist” state; believed that China had deviated from Marxist-Leninist principles; and radically opposed all factions of the Islamic regime of Iran. The brutal repression of dissidents by the Iranian government, and splits within Peykar in 1981 and 1982, effectively dismantled the organization and scattered its supporters. By the mid-1980s, Peykar was no longer in existence.

Arrest and detention

Mr. Feridun A’zami was arrested  -- along with his wife and two children (who were released later) --  by the Revolutionary Guards in his house on January 6, 1982. He was first detained in the Joint Committee (section 3000) until August 1982. Then, he was transferred to Evin Prison, where he had access to an attorney. He had visitations, on and off, which took place behind the glass dividers in the visitation room at Evin. In May of the same year, following his wife’s release, he was able to see her once. According to his relatives, he was tortured severely in prison and was a symbol of resistance in those years.

Trial

No specific information is available on the defendant’s trial. According to an interviewee, during his visitation with his wife, Mr. Feridun A’zami told her that he was coming from a two-minute court session. According to the same person, some witnesses stated that, three days before his execution, he had been in another similar court session.

Charges

The charges against Mr. Feridun Azami were announced in Iranian newspapers as “membership in the Peykar Organization, apostate, and atheist.”

Evidence of guilt

The report of this execution does not contain information regarding the evidence provided against the defendant.

Defense

No information is available about his defense.

Judgment

Mr. Feridun A’zami was executed at Evin Prison on October 30, 1982, in accordance with the court ruling. According to the interviewee, he was taken, along with his cellmate, Mr. Davud Mada’en, to the execution place on three nights. Each night, they killed others and took Mr. A’zami and his cellmate back. On the last night (which coincided with the Ashura Shiite ceremony), they were both executed by firing squad.

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