Public Execution of Suspects in the “Shah-Cheragh” Case

Hengaw, Saturday, July 8th, 2023

On the morning of Saturday July 8th, 2023, the execution of Mohammad Ramez Rashidi and Sayed Na'im Hashemi Qatali, both Afghan nationals, took place publicly in Shiraz. The individuals were convicted in the “Shah-Cheragh”case, and their death sentences were carried out in a public setting.
 

Reports received by the Hengaw organization for Human Rights, indicate that Mohammad Ramez Rashidi and Sayed Na'im Hashemi, who had been sentenced to execution in connection with the “Shah-Cheragh” case, were put to death publicly.
 

The website "Mizan," closely associated with the Iranian Judiciary, has stated that these individuals were sentenced to execution on charges of connection with ISIS.
 

The Chief Justice of Fars Province had previously announced that the execution of these two Afghan nationals would occur in a public manner on “9th Dey” Street in Shiraz. The charges against them included "insurrection, rebellion, canonically outlawed, and connection with a terrorist organization."
 

Referring to the defendants as "citizens of one of the neighboring countries," the trial of Mohammad Ramez Rashidi and Sayed Na'im Hashemi took place in the revolutionary courts of Shiraz and Tehran, according to Mousavi.
 

The “Shah-Cheragh” case is connected to the shooting that took place in Shiraz during the nationwide protests last year, resulting in the death of 13 people and injuries to approximately 27 others. Occurred on October 26th, 2022, this incident has been labeled by public opinion in Iran as a "government’s staged" shooting aimed at diverting the public on the ongoing uprising.
 

Ahmad Vahidi, the Minister of Interior, and Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Speaker of the Islamic Republic's Parliament, have associated the occurrence of the “Shah-Cheragh” incident with the backdrop of nationwide unrest. These statements have contributed to the prevailing hypothesis of government involvement in orchestrating the event.
 

The trial of Mohammad Ramez Rashidi and Sayed Na'im Hashemi Qatali, the two Afghan nationals implicated in the “Shah-Cheragh” case, started in January, 2023. Based on available information, the defendants have been deprived of minimal access to a fair trial and effective defense rights.
 

As a human rights organization, we assert that Mohammad Ramez Rashidi and Sayed Na'im Hashemi have been denied the very basic rights to defendants. Furthermore, due to the unique situation in Afghanistan, they have been unable to access consular authorities. International human rights organizations, including the Red Cross, have not had any contact with the victims.