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

Mohammad Taqi Amani

About

Age: 27
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Non-Believer
Civil Status: Single

Case

Date of Killing: February 17, 1983
Location of Killing: Tabriz, Azarbaijan-e Sharqi Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Shooting

About this Case

Information about Mr. Mohammad Taqi Amani was obtained from an Omid Memorial electronic form filled in by a friend who went to college with him, as well as from a book published by Rah-e Kargar titled Our Martyrs for Freedom and Socialism. Additional information about Mr. Amani’s detention was obtained from one of his former fellow inmates.

The news of Mr. Amani’s execution also appeared in an addendum to the Mojahed magazine published by the People’s Mojahedin of Iran Organization (No 261, September 6, 1985). The addendum lists 12028 individuals, affiliated with various opposition groups, who were executed or killed during clashes with the Islamic Republic security forces from June 1981 to the publication date of the magazine.

Mr. Amani was born in 1955 in Zanjan to a working class family. He was a student at the Social Science Faculty of Tehran University and was active in student and anti-monarchy movements before the revolution. In 1976, he was arrested and sentenced to five years in prison, but he was released in 1979. He started his collaboration with Rah-e Kargar Organization shortly after. He had an extensive social network, was calm and graceful, and very popular among his friends and others. He enjoyed reading, thinking, and debating.

Rah-e Kargar or Organization of the Revolutionary Workers of Iran announced its existence in July 1979. The organization consisted of various leftist groups that opposed guerilla warfare, were in favor of political opposition, and proclaimed themselves as Marxist-Leninists for socialist revolution and rule of the proletariat. They differed from the Tudeh Party (communist party supportive of the Soviet Union) in that they opposed the Islamic Republic and Ayatollah Khomeini’s leadership from the beginning.

Arrest and detention

Mr. Amani, a resident of Tehran, was dispatched by the Organization to Tabriz for organizational activities since the spring of 1981. Based on the report in the book published by Rah e Kargar, Mr. Amani was arrested randomly along with 40 other young people on a Tabriz street.

His former fellow inmate testified that Mr. Amani was heavily tortured but did not reveal any information about his role in the Organization. About a year later, when further information about his activities was disclosed, he was tortured once again, this time for ten days.

Trial

Mr. Amani was tried twice. The fist time, he was sentenced to life in prison. But a year later, upon receiving new information, they took him to court again and this time he was sentenced to death. The details of his trials remain unknown.

Charges

No information about the charges brought against Mr. Amani is available. He was not allowed to have an attorney during his detention and trial.

Evidence of guilt

The report of this execution does not contain information regarding the evidence provided against the defendant.

Defense

No information is available on Mr. Amani’s defense.

Judgment

The details of the verdict are unknown. According to a friend who went to college with the defendant, the news of Mr. Amani’s execution was published in one of the nation’s official newspapers in early November, 1981. This is while a former fellow inmate saw him in Tabriz Prison after this date, some time in late November or December, 1981. In the list prepared by the People’s Mojahedin of Iran Organization, the date of Mr. Amani’s execution is mentioned as February 17, 1983. He was executed in Tabriz.

Mr. Amani received a visit from his mother before his execution in the prison. The book published by Rah e Kargar reports that he looked at his mother with tears in his eyes and said: “Mother, don’t think that I’m crying. These are only tears of joy. I’m happy that I was able to succeed.”

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