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

Karam Abdollahi

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: January 9, 2003
Location of Killing: Evin Prison, Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Armed robbery; Possession of arms; Sedition and/ or threat to public security

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Karam Abdollahi, along with five others, was published by various sources including ISNA (Iranian Students News Agency) on January 13, 2003 and the Jomhuri Eslami newspaper on January 14, 2003. Additional information was taken from the Kayhan newspaper on August 11, 1996.

Mr. Abdollahi, son of Hossein and known as Karamkhan, was from Kuhdasht, Lorestan. He resided in Eslamshahr, Tehran. According to existing information, he was a member of an eight-member gang of armed robbers. (Kayhan)

Arrest and detention

Mr. Abdollahi was arrested, along with seven others members of a gang, in August of 1996 following several reports regarding armed robbery from carpet stores across Tehran (ISNA and Kayhan). The circumstances of his arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

Branch 31 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran tried Mr. Abdollahi. No information is available on his trial.

Charges

The charges brought against Mr. Abdollahi were announced as “leading a 33 member gang of armed robbers, participation in five night-time armed robberies from carpet stores in Tehran threatening with a hand gun, shooting at the stores’ owners and guards, participation in an armed robbery from a vehicle, threatening with a combat weapon at night, participation in four armed clashes with police in Tehran involving shooting at agents, carrying and possession of smuggled weapons and ammunition, participation in over 20 armed and unarmed natural robberies from residences in Tehran and stealing properties.”  

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). Each year Iranian authorities sentence to death hundreds of alleged common criminals, following judicial processes that fail to meet international standards. The exact number of people convicted and executed based on trumped-up charges is unknown.

Evidence of guilt

According to the Public Relations Office of the Islamic Revolutionary Court, the arrested gang members have confessed to several armed robberies in Tehran, armed clashes with the police injuring several agents, and murdering one person in Varamin.

International human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for its systematic use of severe torture and solitary confinement to obtain confessions from detainees and have questioned the authenticity of confessions obtained under duress.

Defense

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

Judgment

Branch 31 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran condemned Mr. Karam Abdollahi to death and the Supreme Court confirmed the ruling. He was hanged, along with five others, in the presence of forensics representatives, police and court officials at Evin Prison in Tehran on January 9, 2003. No specific information is available about this execution.

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