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

Avaz P.

About

Nationality: Unknown
Religion: Unknown
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: September 18, 2011
Location of Killing: Raja’i Shahr (Gohardasht) Prison, Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Drug trafficking; Drug possession

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Avaz P. along with 21 others, was published on the website of the Iran newspaper on September 19, 2011. This case was related to the transportation and possession of narcotics and importing them into the prison. 

Arrest and detention

The circumstances of Mr. Avaz P.’s arrest and detention are not known.

Trial

The Islamic Revolutionary Court tried Mr. Avaz P. No information is available on his trial.

Charges

The charges brought against Mr. Avaz P. were announced as “establishing a drug trafficking gang and possession of narcotics.”

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 authorities have brought trumped-up charges, including drug trafficking, sexual, and other criminal offences, against their opponents (including political, civil society activists, as well as unionists and ethnic and religious minorities). Thousands of alleged drug traffickers have been sentenced to death following judicial processes that fail to meet international standards. Scores of them were executed based on a 1989 law imposing mandatory death sentences on drug traffickers found in possession of specified amounts of proscribed narcotics (5 kg of hashish or opium, and more than 30 grams of heroin, codeine or methadone). The exact number of people convicted based on trumped-up charges is unknown.

Evidence of guilt

The evidence presented against Mr. Avaz P. was “possession of 683 kilograms of opium.” 

Defense

No information is available on Mr. Avaz P.’s defense.

Judgment

The Islamic Revolutionary Court condemned Mr. Avaz P. to death and the General Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the ruling. He was hanged, along with 21 others, either at the Evin Prison yard in Tehran or in Gohardasht Prison in Karaj on September 18, 2011.

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