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

Zaki Khani

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: October 30, 2013
Location of Killing: Central Prison (Darya), Orumieh, Azarbaijan-e Gharbi Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Drug trafficking

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Zaki Khani, without a first name, along with ten others of whom four were unknown and two were female, was published on the website of Mukrian news agency on October 30, 2013 and on the website of HRANA (Human Rights Activists News Agency) on November 4, 2013. He was a Kurd. 

Arrest and detention

The circumstances of Mr. Zaki Khani’s arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

No information is available on Mr. Zaki Khani’s trial.

Charges

According to reports, the charge brought against Mr. Zaki Khani was announced as “selling narcotics.”        

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 report of this execution did not provide any specific information on the evidence presented against Mr. Zaki Khani.

Defense

No information is available on Mr. Zaki Khani’s defense.

Judgment

Mr. Zaki Khani was hanged, along with six others, in the Orumieh Central Prison on Wednesday October 30, 2013. 

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