This page holds 121 names from Birjand, and all of them were executed. The list for Birjand begins on 20 Ordibehesht 1388 and reaches 25 Khordad 1405. This page is, more than anything, a list of those who were hanged in the prison of this city; men and women most of whom were in the middle of their lives, and for whom no one tried to bring their names out of the darkness.
Years and days of executions
Executions in Birjand continued throughout all these years: 4 names in 1388, 2 names in 1392 and 2 names in 1393, one name in 1394, 8 names in 1395, 10 names in 1396, 6 names in 1397, one name in 1398, 3 names in 1399, 12 names in 1400, 9 names in 1401, 21 names in 1402, 7 names in 1403, 30 names in 1404 and so far 5 names in 1405. The highest number in a single day goes back to 19 Mordad 1396, when 8 people were executed. After that come 4 Aban 1402 with 7 names, 4 Khordad 1400 with 5 names, 10 Mehr 1397 with 4 names and 3 Esfand 1388 with 3 names.
The recorded ages range from 20 to 55 years, and the median is 38 years. This means that most of those executed in Birjand were fathers or mothers and left a family behind. The sources have written of 22 people that they were women. No one under 18 is recorded on this list.
Abdolrahim Sedighi, the first name
The first name on this page is Abdolrahim (Rahim) Sedighi. He was 26 years old, and the source writes that he was born “to an Afghan father and an Iranian mother in the Pahvaz camp of Birjand county.” He “worked as a herder (livestock keeper),” “was married and had three children” and “was very interested in sport, especially football.” According to the source, he was sentenced to death solely on the basis of witness statements and on the charge of kidnapping. This is a charge that the authorities attributed to him, not a verdict of his guilt. His family, who lived in Afghanistan, sold their sheep and paid 80 million tomans so that a lawyer could be hired for him. His brother believes that he was under severe torture in custody. His body was buried in the village of Jarg in Farah province, Afghanistan.
Fathers and breadwinners
About most of those executed in Birjand the sources have written only a word or two about their family, and these very words are heavy. Abdolsamad Salarzehi, 42 years old, who was executed on 25 Shahrivar 1404, according to the source “was married and had 6 children.” Davoud Kajan, 44 years old, executed in Bahman 1401, “was married and had several children.” Saeed Sanjarani, 38 years old, was executed on 19 Shahrivar 1402 and Mohsen Sanjarani, 38 years old, one day later, on 20 Shahrivar 1402; of both it is written: “He was married and the father of two children.” Aliasghar Aminipour, 48 years old, son of Mohammad, “from Zabol and resident in the city of Gorgan,” was executed on 24 Khordad 1405 and “was married and had three children.” Amirhamzeh Barahouei Mojarrad, 33 years old, and Vahid Vahdani, 30 years old, were both executed on 2 Mordad 1403, and Mohammad Hesari, 55 years old, and Ahmad Gorgij, 30 years old, both on 6 Dey 1402.
This list is not complete
121 names are not all of those who were executed in Birjand. The real number is higher, and many executions were reported without names or not reported at all. We record only a name for which we have found a source. The largest share is held by the Abdorrahman Boroumand Center with 51 cases, followed by the Iran Human Rights Society with 50 cases, Haalvsh with 33 and 2 cases, HRANA with 18 cases, the Kurdistan Human Rights Network with 6 cases and Iran Human Rights with 2 cases. Details of life are available for only 29 people, and some entries rest on one source; sometimes the sources do not agree about a person's family situation. If you knew one of those executed in Birjand, we ask you to send us your memory or correction.