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

Mohammad Ali (Farnush) Bakhtiari

About

Age: 23
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Islam (Shi'a)
Civil Status: Single

Case

Date of Killing: December 10, 1982
Location of Killing: Bandar Anzali, Gilan Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Death in custody
Charges: Unknown charge

About this Case

The information about Mr. Mohammad Ali (Farnush) Bakhtiari is taken from the website of the Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO). This execution was also reported in an addendum to the Mojahed magazine (No 261), published by Mojahedin Khalq Organization in 1985. The list includes 12028 individuals, affiliated with various opposition groups, who were executed or killed during clashes with the Islamic Republic security forces from June 1981 to the publication date of the magazine.

Mr. Bakhtiari was born in Bandar Anzali. He was a medical student in the Melli University of Tehran. After the Revolution, he joined the MKO. During the Cultural Revolution and after the closure of the universities, he returned to Bandar-e Anzali and worked as an English and natural sciences teacher and continued his cooperation with the MKO. He joined the Organization’s Resistance Unit after the demonstrations of June 20, 1981.

The demonstration of June 20, 1981, took place in protest against the parliament's impeachment of President Banisadr and the Islamic Republic's systematic policy of excluding the Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) from the country's political scene, the refusal of Ayatollah Khomeini to meet with MKO leaders and his insistence for them to disarm. The MKO had until then supported the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini and agreed to function within the framework of the new political system. On June 20th, the Organization officially changed its policy and tried to overthrow the regime by organizing mass demonstrations throughout the country. These demonstrations were severely suppressed and resulted in the killing of dozens of demonstrators. Afterwards, there was a wave of mass arrests and executions by the Revolutionary Guards and para-military forces that targeted not only the MKO, but all opposition groups. The massive repression, unprecedented in the history of the Islamic Republic, legitimized the months-old state harassment and suppression of dissidents and resulted in the banning of all forms of independent political dissent.

Arrest and detention

According to the MKO website, the Revolutionary Guards surrounded Mr. Bakhtiari’s residence and arrested him. He was tortured severely while in prison. The same source quotes cellmates saying that he used his medical knowledge to help prisoners. This further evoked the anger of the prison officials and resulted in more torture for him. The efforts of Mr. Bakhtiari's family to obtain information about his condition were fruitless until his death.

According to MKO the website, Mr. Mohammad Ali Bakhtiari died of injuries, caused by severe torture, in the hospital on December 10, 1982. This site quotes a hospital worker who saw the tortured body in the hospital saying "they broke both his hands and sent him to the hospital bloody and broken. The physicians’ efforts in saving him were fruitless."

Trial

No information is available about the defendant’s trial. According to the MKO website, Mr. Bakhtiari was detained without a trial for about a year.

Charges

No information is available on the charges against Mr. Bakhtiari.

Evidence of guilt

The report of this execution contains no evidence provided against the defendant.

Defence

No information is available about the defendant’s defence.

Judgment

According to the existing information, the defendant never was tried and no ruling was ever issued against him. According to the MKO website, the family and relatives of Mr. Bakhtiari gathered around his burial place every week and the regime's agents have repeatedly broken his tombstone.

Correct/ Complete This Entry