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

Ali Reza (Abdollah) Barahu’i

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Islam (Sunni)
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: June 16, 2008
Location of Killing: Central Prison, Zahedan, Sistan Va Baluchestan Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: War on God

About this Case

The execution of Mr. Alireza Barahu’i, aka Abdu’llah, was reported by IRNA, ISNA, and Fars News Services (June 16, 2008), and Radio Baluchi Website (May 22, 2008).  Additional information on this case was gathered from the  Amnesty International Report (March 22, 2007).  According to available information, Mr. Barahu’i was affiliated with the Jondallah group. Jondallah (Iranian Peoples’ Resistance Movement) is a paramilitary group that was formed in southeastern Iran in July 2003.  This group seeks to defend the rights of the Baluchi People, who are an ethnic minority in the southeast of Iran.  Their objectives include safeguarding the culture of the Baluchi people, improving social and economic conditions in Sistan-Baluchistan Province, and protecting the religious rights of the Sunni minority living under the rule of the Shi’a government of Iran.  In order to achieve these aims, this group has taken up arms, and has therefore been identified as a terrorist group. This case was related to placing explosives and kidnapping in Sistan-Baluchistan Province. On March 22, 2008, Amnesty International named several Baluchi citizens, including Mr. Alireza Barahu’i, who were at risk of imminent execution. This organization expressed concern about their torture and execution.

Arrest and detention

While he was under arrest, Mr. Barahu’i was tortured and pressured into a television confession.  His and another person’s confessions were aired by Iranian state television, on March 15, 2007, in a program titled “The Confessors”.  The circumstances of Mr. Barahu’i’s arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

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

Charges

The charges brought against Mr. Barahu’i by the judiciary were “Enmity with God and spreading corruption on earth” by way of membership and affiliation with Abdolmalek Rigi group (Jondallah), with the aim of opposing the Islamic Republic. Further charges include “participating in two instances of placing bombs, causing the death of two people, and kidnapping a merchant from Rasouli Square in Zahedan, shooting and injuring him”.

Evidence of guilt

The confessions of Mr. Barahu’i during his interrogation, and his confessions in the television program were entered as evidence in his trial.

Defense

No information is available on Mr. Barahu’i’s defense.  However, Amnesty International reported that he and several other Baluchi prisoners were tortured into confessing on television about the bombings and armed assaults. This report aired on Iranian state television, and connected Mr. Barahu’i and several other people to the Jondallah group.  According to this report, these prisoners had suffered torture resulting in broken arms and legs, hot iron brandings, and muscles bored with electric drills (Amnesty International, March 22, 2007).

Judgment

The court sentenced Mr. Alireza Barahu’i to death by hanging.  Mr. Barahu’i was executed in the Zahedan Prison on May 22, 2008 (Radio Baluchi).  The state news services reported his execution date as June 16, 2008.

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