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

Mehdi Raja'i

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Single

Case

Date of Killing: May 25, 2016
Location of Killing: Raja’i Shahr (Gohardasht) Prison, Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Murder
Age at time of alleged offense: 16

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Mehdi Raja’i, along with 11 others, aged between 22 and 25, was published on the website of HRANA (Human Rights Activists News Agency) on May 25, 2016. According to this report, Mr. Raja’i was 16 when the incident occurred. 

International laws have strictly prohibited capital punishment against those who were under the age of 18 at the time of committing the crime. As a party to the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Iran has the obligation to avoid capital punishment for an offence committed before the age of eighteen.

Arrest and detention

The circumstances of Mr. Raja’i’s arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

No information is available on Mr. Raja’i’s trial.

Charges

The charge brought against Mr. Raja’i was announced as “murder.”  

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 did not provide any specific information on the evidence presented against Mr. Raja’i.

Defense

Mr. Raja’i was younger than 18 when the incident occurred. No information is available on his defense.  

Judgment

A court condemned Mr. Mehdi Raja’i to death. He was hanged, along with 11 others, at Raja’ishahr Prison in Karaj on May 25, 2016. No further information is available about this execution.

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