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

M. M.

About

Age: 36
Nationality: Iran
Religion: Islam (Shi'a)
Civil Status: Unknown

Case

Date of Killing: November 6, 2006
Location of Killing: Central Prison (Tohid), Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan Province, Iran
Mode of Killing: Hanging
Charges: Murder
Age at time of alleged offense: 29

About this Case

News of the execution of Mr. M. M. was announced by the website of Iranian Students’ News Agency – ISNA – (November 8, 2006) and E’temad daily (November 9, 2006), both citing the Public Relations section of the provincial Ministry of Justice office of Hormozgan. The news was also announced by the website of Khabar-e Jonoub (November 11, 2006). Mr. M. M. was from Bandar Abbas, and his case pertains to the murder of a Bangladeshi citizen in the vicinity of the Towhid Township in Bandar Abbas in the winter of 1998.

Arrest and detention

Mr. M. M. was arrested after the police investigation and interrogation of the brothers-in-law of the victim had produced contradictory accounts. In addition, Mr. M. M. had confessed to the murder to one of his relatives, which became another clue for his prosecution. Mr. M. M. spent seven years in prison.

Trial

Mr. M. M. was tried by the Public Court of the provincial Ministry of Justice office. However, there is no information available on the details of the session or sessions of his trial.        

Charges

Mr. M. M. was charged with “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

The “discovery of the body of the victim, the contradictions in the testimonies of the witnesses, and the defendant’s confessions” were entered as evidence of guilt against Mr. M. M.

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

The victim was the husband of the defendant’s sister. He had repeatedly beaten Mr. M. M.’s sister, which could have been the cause of his fatal struggle with the victim. However, there is no information available on the details of Mr. M. M.’s defense.

Judgment

The Public Court of the provincial Ministry of Justice office sentenced Mr. M. M. to death. The Supreme Court validated the verdict in 2002. However, as the case had no plaintiffs, carrying out the sentence was postponed for four years. Eventually, the judiciary authorities used their legal privileges to carry out the sentence. Mr. M. M. was hanged in Bandar Abbas Central Prison on November 8, 2006. According to the authorities, the communications between the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the Iranian Embassy in Bangladesh to identify the family of the victim had led to no results.

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