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

Behruz Rusta

About

Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: August 19, 1980
Location of Killing: Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Unspecified execution method
Charges: Drug trafficking

About this Case

The execution of Mr. Behruz Rusta, resident of Tabriz, and 4 others was announced to Pars News Agency by the head of the Special Revolutionary Tribunals, also in charge of the Campaign against Drugs and Narcotics. The report was published in the Jomhuri Eslami daily (August 20, 1980).

Arrest and detention

There is no information available on Mr. Rusta’s arrest and detention in this report.

Trial

The report provides no specific information about the trial.

Charges

The defendant was charged with being a “number one drug dealer who has been selling heroin in Azarbayejan for quite some time and has been arrested for that reason several times before.”

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’s authorities have brought trumped up charges against their political opponents and executed them for drug trafficking, sexual, and other criminal offences. The exact number of people convicted based on trumped-up charges is unknown.

Evidence of guilt

The report indicated that the defendant was arrested with one kilogram of opium on him.

Defense

No information on the accused’s defense is available.

Judgment

The religious judge at the head of the Special Revolutionary Tribunals and the Campaign against Drugs and Narcotics sentenced Mr. Rusta to death. He was executed at dawn the day after his trial.

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