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 Benmahmudi

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: August 19, 1979
Location of Killing: Central Prison (Dizelabad), Kermanshah, Kermanshah Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Shooting
Charges: Participating in clashes with revolutionary guards and or Bassij brothers

About this Case

The execution of Mr. Mohammad Benmahmudi, son of Abdollah, was announced in the Kayhan newspaper on August 19, 1979. Additional 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 Kayhan newspaper (Aug. 23, and Sep. 25, 1979), the report “The Demise of Sadeq Khalkhali” by Mansur Boluri (Iranian Political Bulletin, Nov. 30, 2003), as well as the report Murder at Mykonos published by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center.

Mr. Benmahmudi’s execution was part of a wave of executions that took place in order to combat the “anti-Revolutionary” elements in the Kordestan region. Following the negotiations between the Kordish Democratic Party of Iran (PDKI) and the interim prime minister, several clashes occurred, at times armed, between the Revolutionary Guards and the peshmerga (the militia of the PDKI) 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.” 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.

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.” 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

The circumstances of Mr. Benmahmudi’s arrest and detention are not known. The 11 defendants were arrested by the Revolutionary Guards. Whether or not they had visits with their families before execution is not known. However according to statements of the religious judge in Kermanshah Province, it appears that authorities prohibited the families from visiting the prisoners: “I request the families to look after their children and watch for any anti-Revolutionary behavior or activity. [I also ask them] not to follow up with the cases of their children and let the Revolutionary Tribunals carry out their functions” (Kayhan, Aug. 23, 1979).

Trial

The report of the execution does not refer to a trial and only mentions the interrogation of defendants and testimony of witnesses. In an interview dated August 23, the religious judge of Kermanshah denied “the rumors of execution of leftists without trial.” In another interview about the recent executions in the region he stated: “the proceedings were carried with outmost attention and careful investigation. The court has never acted outside the Islamic criteria since the court is not only responsible before the people, but it is also accountable before God… It is true that the trial had particularities of wartime, but the crimes were certainly proven based on explicit confession of defendants, testimony of witnesses, and other evidence; and the verdicts were issued and carried out in accordance with religious criteria.” The religious judge added: “Some newspapers, completely unaware of the reality of matters, have attacked the Islamic courts… Surely the objective for such misinformation is to advance counter-revolutionary plans” (Kayhan, Sep. 25, 1979).

Charges

The newspaper refers to the 11 defendants as “combatants who invaded Paveh.” No further information is available regarding the charge brought against Mr. Benmahmudi.

Evidence of guilt

No information is available concerning the evidence presented against the accused.

Defense

No information is available concerning Mr. Benmahmudi’s defense.

Judgment

Mr. Mohammad Benmahmudi and 10 other individuals were condemned to death as “corruptors on earth, and at war with God and God’s Prophet.” They were executed at 2:40 a.m. on August 18 in Dizel Abad prison of Kermanshah.

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