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

Majid

About

Age: 50
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Presumed Muslim
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: 2004
Location of Killing: Qazvin, Zanjan Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Drug possession

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. Majid, without his last name, was published in the Iran newspaper on August 4, 2004. His case was related to possession and selling narcotics.

Arrest and detention

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

Trial

Branch Two of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Qazvin tried Mr. Majid. No information is available on his trial.

Charges

The charges brought against Mr. Majid were announced as “possession and selling narcotics and addiction.” 

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. Majid was his “confession.”

International human rights organizations have repeatedly condemned the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran for its systematic use of severe torture and solitary confinement to obtain confessions from detainees and have questioned the authenticity of confessions obtained under duress.

Defense

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

Judgment

Branch Two of the Islamic Revolutionary Court in Qazvin condemned Mr. Majid to death and confiscation of his property for possession and selling narcotics, and to paying one million Rials fine, and 20 lashes for his addiction to opium. He was hanged in Qazvin in 2004. No specific information is available about this execution.

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