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

Jalil Golandami

About

Age: 19
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: September 28, 1979
Location of Killing: Mahabad, Azarbaijan-e Gharbi Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Shooting
Charges: Anti-revolutionary offense; Corruption on earth; Possession of arms; Sympathizing with anti-regime guerilla groups; War on God, God's Prophet and the deputy of the Twelfth Imam

About this Case

The execution of Mr. Jalil Golandami, along with three other individuals, was announced by the Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards in Mahabad (West Azarbaijan). The Enqelab Eslami daily published the news (September 29, 1979). Further information regarding Mr. Golandami’s arrest, trial and execution was sent to Omid via an electronic form by a relative. Other information about this case has been gathered by the Boroumand Foundation from the book Sahifeh-ye Emam by Ayatollah Khomeini, volume 9, the book Ayam-e Enzava (Times of Solitude) by Ayatollah Khalkhali, the report “The Demise of Sadeq Khalkhali” by Mansur Boluri (Iranian Political Bulletin, 30 November 2003), as well as the report Murder at Mykonos published by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center.

Mr. Golandami, resident of Mahabad, worked as a registrar for the Kordish Democratic Party of Iran (PDKI). At the time, the city was mostly occupied by peshmerga (the militia of the PDKI). He enjoyed reading and writing, and a story written by him has remained after his execution.

Mr. Golandami’s execution was part of a wave of executions that took place in order to combat the “anti-Revolutionary” elements in Kordestan region. Following the negotiations between the PDKI and the interim prime minister, several clashes occurred, at times armed, between the Revolutionary Guards and the peshmerga particularly in the cities of Sanandaj (Kordestan province) and Paveh (Kermanshah province). These intensifying conflicts between the new central Shiite government of Iran and the mainly Sunni region of Kordestan concerned the role of minorities in the drafting of the constitution, specification of Shiite as the official state religion, and particularly the autonomy of the region.

Subsequent to conflicts that resulted in some casualties, on August 18, 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini issued an order to the military and the armed forces to “move to Paveh and end the fighting…” In the same order, he encouraged them to use force and threatened that: “if they do not move toward Paveh within 24 hours with missiles and tanks and all necessary arsenals, I will hold them accountable. And in case of any infringement of this order, I will treat them in a Revolutionary manner” (Sahifeh-ye Emam, p. 285). On August 19, Ayatollah Khomeini called the PDKI the “party of Satan” and declared it “unofficial and illegal” noting that some of these “anti-Islamic” individuals had boycotted the referendum of April 1, when people went to polls to vote for or against the Islamic regime (ibid p. 311).

In accordance with Khomeini’s order, Ayatollah Sadeq Khalkhali traveled the western region of Iran and told a reporter from the Ettela’at newspaper: “I will visit all areas of Kordestan… and will bring to justice anybody who was involved in these bloody plots” (Times of Solitude p. 96). According to Mr. Boluri, Ayatollah Khalkhali condemned at least 58 Kords to death in the span of 10 days. Mass executions and conflicts continued for many months in that region.

Arrest and detention

Based on the information present on the electronic form, Mr. Golandami was arrested by the Revolutionary Guards in the area of Bagh-e Siseh, in Mahabad. He was arrest on September 27, 1979 at 5 p.m. along with other youths and taken to a youth center. He was arrested without a warrant. Enqelab Eslami wrote: “The head of the Revolutionary Guards of Mahabad stated that, several individuals have been arrested [regarding the recent events:] certain counter-revolutionary elements have attacked the Revolutionary Guards brothers in various parts of the city, and have wounded and killed them; some of these elements have been killed as well.”

Mr. Golamdami spent less than 24 hours in detention before his execution. He was not given access to an attorney. After interrogation, Mr. Golandami was severely tortured (electronic form).

Trial

According to the form, Mr. Golandami had no formal trial, rather a short interrogation by Sadeq Khalkhali served as his trial. Mr. Golandami was informed of his charges at this interrogation. Khalkhali asked him, “after the execution, where do you want to be buried?” Mr. Golandami replied it did not matter, since he would be dead. The newspaper report indicates that the defendants’ trial started immediately after their arrest. Mr. Golandami was tried along with three other individuals, and the verdict was issued the immediately.

Charges

Based on the information available in the form, Khalkhali accused the defendant of “being a corruptor on earth, cooperating with the Kordestan Democratic Party of Iran, owning firearms, and attacking revolutionary guards with grenades.” The newspaper report specifies that Mr. Golandami and 2 other defendants were charged with being “counter-revolutionary.”

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

Defense

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

Judgment

According to the newspaper report, Mr. Golandami was found to be a “corruptor on earth” and an “enemy of God” and he was sentenced to death. At the time there was no appeal process. Mr. Jalil Golandami was shot by a firing squad on September 28, 1979 at 4 a.m. in Mahabad (only 11 hours after his arrest).

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