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 Reza Bozorgi

About

Age: 26
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: April 25, 2002
Location of Killing: Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Mohammad Reza Bozorgi, known as Farahad and son of Hossein, along with five others, was published in the Iran newspaper on April 27, 2002. Additional information was taken from various sources including the Iran newspaper on April 22, 24, and 25, 2002 and in the Jamejam newspaper on April 24, 2002.

Mr. Bozorgi’s case was related to his membership in a purse-napping gang called Jamileh that committed several robberies and purse-nappings in various cities including Shiraz, Esfahan, Tabriz, and Rasht in Iran and in other Persian Gulf countries between 1998 and 1999. Members of this gang consisted of 33 individuals and, according to the judge, 14 of them participated in armed robbery and extortion.         

Arrest and Detention

Detectives of Branch 18 of the Intelligence Police in Tehran arrested Mr. Bozorgi, along with other members of the Jamileh gang. According to the judge of this case, they were arrested following some internal disputes and recovery of the near-dead body of an important member of the gang in a wilderness and his confession three years earlier in 1999. (Iran newspaper on April 25, 2002) The circumstances of Mr. Bozorgi’s arrest and detention are not known except that he was detained at the Raja’ishahr (Gohardasht) Prison during his last months.       

Trial

Branch 15 of the Imam Khomeieni Public Court in Tehran tried Mr. Bozorgi in several sessions in the summer  of 2001. No further information is available on his trial.  

Charges

The charges against Mr. Bozorgi were announced as "acts against internal security, intimidation, and participation in 29 armed robberies and purse-napping with threats of murder."

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

According to the judge of this case, the evidence presented against Mr. Bozorgi was “confessions of defendants” and “complaints by 200 plaintiffs.” In addition, robbery of 65 kilograms of gold, one billion Tumans worth of diamonds, coins, and cash, two purchased restaurants in Thailand and the EUA; several houses and cars and cell phones were also considered evidence against the defendants. (Iran newspaper on April 25, 2002)

Defense

According to the judicial report of the Iran newspaper, Mr. Bozorgi and four other defendants claimed in a court session that even though they participated in armed operations, they did not harm anybody.

Judgment

Branch 15 of the Public Court in Tehran identified Mr. Mohammad Reza Bozorgi as a “fighter against God” and “corruptor on Earth” and condemned him to death in September of 2001. Branch 32 of the Supreme Court confirmed the ruling. Mr. Bozorgi was hanged in public and in the presence of his family in Atabak Street in Khavaran, Tehran, on April 25, 2002 at 6:45 a.m.             

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