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

Abbas A.

About

Age: 34
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: September 18, 2011
Location of Killing: Raja’i Shahr (Gohardasht) Prison, Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Drug possession; Drug trafficking
Age at time of alleged offense: 30

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Abbas Amiri, son of Ezatollah, along with 21 others, was published on the website of the Iran newspaper on September 19, 2011, and on the website of Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran on September 18, 2011. Additional information was taken from the same website on September 16 and 17, 2011. This case was related to the transportation and possession of narcotics and importing them into the prison. 

Arrest and detention

Mr. Amiri was detained for four years. On September 17, 2011, he was transferred to solitary confinement either at the Evin Prison or in Gohardasht Prison where he was allowed to visit his family. According to Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran, seven prisoners could not visit their families in person and had to talk to them in booths. The circumstances of his arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

The Islamic Revolutionary Court tried Mr. Amiri. No information is available on his trial.

Charges

The charge brought against Mr. Amiri was announced as “possession of narcotics.” (Iran newspaper)

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 evidence presented against Mr. Amiri was “possession of 2 kilograms and 200 grams of heroin.” (Iran newspaper)

Defense

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

Judgment

The Islamic Revolutionary Court condemned Mr. Abbas Amiri to death and the General Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the ruling. He was hanged, along with 21 others, either at the Evin Prison yard in Tehran or in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj on September 18, 2011. Authorities told the families to go to the Kahrizak morgue to receive the bodies on September 18, 2011. 

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