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

Naser Esma'ilzadeh

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: November, 2002
Location of Killing: Gohardasht Prison, Karaj, Tehran Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Drug related offense

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Naser Esma’ilzadeh, son of Bahman, along with four others, was published in the Kayhan newspaper and on the website of Jamejam on November 10, 2002.  

Arrest and detention

The circumstances of Mr. Esma’ilzadeh’s arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

According to reports, a branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran tried Mr. Esma’ilzadeh.  No information is available on his trial.

Charges

The charges brought against Mr. Esma’ilzadeh were announced as “supply, distribution, and armed dealing of 2,215 kilograms of 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

According to reports and the evidence presented against Mr. Esma’ilzadeh, he and other individuals created an armed gang operating in cities near the Afghanistan border in order to transfer and sell narcotics in Tehran, Karaj, Varamin, Shahr-e Ray, Yazd, and Kerman.  

Defense

No information is available on Mr. Esma’ilzadeh’s defense.

Judgment

The Islamic Revolutionary Court of Tehran condemned Mr. Naser Esma’ilzadeh to death and the Supreme Court confirmed the ruling. He was hanged, along with four others, in Raja’ishahr Prison in November of 2002. No specific information is available about his execution. 

Correct/ Complete This Entry