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

Farshad Miraftab

About

Age: 26
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Non-Believer
Civil Status: Single

Case

Date of Killing: December 20, 1981
Location of Killing: Evin Prison, Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Unspecified execution method
Charges: Unspecified counter-revolutionary offense
Age at time of alleged offense: 26

About this Case

Information on the life and execution of Ms. Farshad Miraftab has been gathered from an interview with one of her close relatives, conducted by the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center, on December 18, 2011.

Ms. Farshad Miraftab, daughter of Hossein, was born in Tehran, in 1955.  She was a very intelligent child and a good student.  She graduated from Kharazmi High School with very good grades and was awarded a scholarship to attend the American University in Beirut.  However, since war had broken out in Lebanon, she decided to go to the United States, instead.  She studied Industrial Design at the University of Iowa, and returned to Iran at the early stages of the Iranian Revolution.  She entered the School of Architecture at Tehran University, in order to continue her education in City Planning.  As Iranian society became politicized, Ms. Miraftab joined political and social activities, in sympathy with the Peykar Organization for the Liberation of the Working Class.  After the “Cultural Revolution” and the closure of universities, Ms. Miraftab became an English teacher at the Simin Language Institute.  She was a compassionate person and was always looking for ways to help the less fortunate members of society.  Ms. Miraftab’s political and social activities consisted of literacy classes for the underprivileged children of Varamin, and recruitment activities for the working class.  Ms. Miraftab had plans to continue her education abroad.  She had been accepted to the University of Seattle, and she was preparing for her trip.  Since nobody knew about her teaching job, she spent her days at the language school.

The Peykar Organization for the Liberation of the Working Class was founded by a number of dissident members of the Mojahedin Khalq Organization who had converted to Marxism-Leninism. Peykar was also joined by a number of political organizations, known as Khat-e Se (Third line). The founding tenets of Peykar included the rejection of guerrilla struggle and a strong stand against the pro-Soviet policies of the Iranian Tudeh Party. Peykar viewed the Soviet Union as a “Social imperialist” state, believed that China had deviated from the Marxist-Leninist principles, and radically opposed all factions of the Islamic regime of Iran. The brutal repression of dissidents by the Iranian government and splits within Peykar in 1981 and 1982 effectively dismantled the Organization and scattered its supporters. By the mid-1980s, Peykar was no longer in existence.

Arrest and detention

After one of her friends was arrested in October 1981, Ms. Miraftab would not stay at her own home.  She spent the nights in different places.  In the course of her limited political and social activities, she had become acquainted with an unemployed laborer, who had shown interest in political activity.  She had told one of her cellmate that this person had reported her job at the language school and had brought about her arrest.  On November 22, 1981, several armed officers went to the Simin Language Institute, and inquired about Ms. Mirafatb at the office.  They went to her class and took her with them.

After she was arrested, her family had no news of her whereabouts.  She was held in Evin Prison for 28 days.  During this time, she was able to contact her family one time.  The night before her execution, she had a short conversation with her mother, and bid her farewell.

One of the people who had been in prison with her, later told her family that she had been severely tortured. 

Trial

No information is available on her trial.

Charges

The charge brought against Ms. Farshad Miraftab is not known.  The interviewee had heard from someone who had been in prison with her that one of the bank accounts of Peykar Organization had been in her name.

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 interviewee, the authorities did not mention any evidence against Ms. Miraftab, either during her short period of incarceration, or after her execution.

Defense

The interviewee believes that most probably there was never a trial, and she never had the opportunity to defend herself.

Judgment

Ms. Farshad Miraftab was executed by firing squad at dawn, on December 20, 1981, at Evin Prison.

The night before, she was allowed to say goodbye to her mother during a phone conversation.  On the letter she also wrote to her family on December 19, a few hours before her execution, possibly trying to calm their fears, she tells her family: “I had a good time here.  We were all together, and I was always thinking about you.”  She continues: “It is night time, and this is the last time I can talk to you.”  In another place she says: “I am writing this letter from Evin Prison…”, the next two lines have been crossed out, probably a reference to the exact location of her arrest or to her condition.  She talks about her short life: “ I only lived 26 years, but you should know that I lived these 26 years to the fullest.  I truly (crossed out….) what I loved, did not waste any time”. In this two page letter, Ms. Miraftab talks about her love and affection for her family, and asks them not to go into mourning for her.

After her execution, someone from Evin Prison called her home, and abruptly told her father, “Come take your daughter’s stuff.  We have executed her.”  Ms. Miraftab’s body was not handed over to her family.  Her personal effects and a plot number at Behesht e Zahra cemetery were delivered to them.

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