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

Morad Yahya

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: July 31, 1980
Location of Killing: Evin Prison, Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Shooting
Charges: Plotting to overthrow the Islamic Republic

About this Case

The execution of Mr. Morad Yahya and 10 others was reported in the Jomhuri Eslami daily (July 31, 1980). He was reportedly involved in planning a coup d’etat, known as Noje, which was never carried out.

On July 7, 1980, the Islamic Republic of Iran authorities announced the discovery and dismantling of a civil and military network which had planned a coup d’etat to overthrow the regime. Following this discovery, more than sixty officers and civilians were executed in several cities of Iran in less than a month. Most of the officers were still active in the army and had not been purged in the first wave of purges which took place within the file and ranks of the army after the fall of the monarchy.

Two months later, the organization NEGHAB, in a communiqué, claimed responsibility for this attempted ‘uprising.’ The organization attested that “the path of Mossadegh is that of the people” and today “Bakhtiar is its authentic leader.”

“We have risen up to put an end to this curse (the Islamic regime) and to entrust the affairs of our land to the faithful disciple of Mossadegh—Shapour Bakhtiar.” (Iran: In Defense of Human Rights, National Movement of the Iranian Resistance, Paris, 1983)

Nureddin Kianuri, Secretary General of the Tudeh Party (the Iranian pro-Soviet communist party) mentions the coup d’etat in an article dated May 2, 2000 (www.rahetudeh.com). Kianuri stresses the fact that the military branch of the Tudeh, which cooperated with the Islamic Republic's authorities, discovered and "neutralized" the above mentioned organization as well as other groups that planned a coup against the newly established regime.

Arrest and detention

No information is available on the circumstances of this defendant’s arrest and detention.

Trial

The circumstances of the defendant’s trial are unknown.

Charges

Besides participation in plotting a potential coup d’etat, no charges were specified for this defendant.

In a 07/19/1980 indictment (published in the Enqelab Eslami and Jomhuri Eslami dailies, July 20, 1980), the Public Prosecutor said the following regarding some other participants of this failed coup d’etat: “These enthusiasts of the Shah’s rotten, filthy, and reactionary regime, these supporters of the blood-thirsty American imperialism, had in mind to bring ‘American social democracy’ as a gift to the liberated people of Iran. They had in mind to re-asses the opinion of our heroic nation about the return of the royal system through a referendum […].”

He added: “This conspiracy is not a single incident and these conspirators cannot be considered ordinary convicts. These are criminals who have undermined the newly-found truth, honor, and dignity of a liberated umma [community of Muslim people]. Considering that and by consulting the holly verses of the Koran regarding the punishment of the ‘rebel’ against the Islamic sovereign, it is imperative that the convicts receive their punishment according to the Shari'a law.”

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 provides no information about the evidence of guilt presented against the defendant.

Defense

No information is available on the defendant’s defense.

Judgment

The Islamic Revolutionary Tribunal of the Army sentenced Mr. Asangosha to death. He was executed at dawn.

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