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

Habib

About

Age: 58
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Married

Case

Date of Killing: September 29, 2004
Location of Killing: Raja’i Shahr (Gohardasht) Prison, Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Rape
Age at time of alleged offense: 45

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Habib (no last name) was reported in Iran Newspaper (September 29, 2004) and E’temad-e Melli Newspaper (September 30, 2004). He was married, had a child, and was employed as a security guard in a food production company in the town of Shahriyar. His case concerns the abduction and rape of young girls which took place in the Bord Abad area of the town of Shahriyar, Karaj in 1991.

Arrest and detention

Mr. Habib was identified and arrested on May 26, 1991 by paramilitary militia (Basij) officials from the Shahid Shiroodi Base in Shahriyar (Iran Newspaper). Based on available information, on May 13, 1991 the father of an eight-year-old girl went to the Komiteh of Shahriyar and reported that on May 11, his daughter had been raped by a man dressed in black clothes and a black hat. During the police investigation, two other fathers reported that their daughters, aged 9 and 12, had also been raped. Another 12-year-old girl also reported that a man matching this description had lured her into a garden with a story about buying cigarettes. She had managed to escape. Afterwards, one of the victims had seen the man in her neighborhood and notified the police. With the aid of a composite picture of the man, police were able to trace him to the food production company. In preliminary questioning, Mr. Habib said that he had intended to help the girls, but after the victims identified him he confessed to his deeds. He spent 13 years in prison.

Trial

Branch 6 of the Criminal Court of Karaj tried Mr. Habib. There is no record of the proceedings.

Charges

The charge brought against Mr. Habib was “three counts of child rape, and one count of abduction and attempted rape of a nine-year-old girl.”

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 evidence given against Mr. Habib was “victims’ complaints, identification by victims, and his own confession.”

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

As Mr. Habib did not accept the verdict, his case was referred to the Supreme Court. There is no record of his defense. He appealed his case and asked for pardon and a shorter sentence from Raja’i Shahr Prison in 2001.  

Judgment

Branch 6 of the Criminal Court of Karaj sentenced Mr. Habib to execution by hanging for raping three girls; three years penal imprisonment for abduction and attempted rape; and a fine for violating the virginity of the three girls. This sentence was approved by Branch 26 of the Supreme Court, and he was executed by hanging on the morning of September 29, 2004 in Raja’i Shahr Prison in Karaj. Before his execution, he wrote his will. 

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