Jafar Kazemi

Their life

Key Facts:
Born: Iran (exact date unknown)

Died: January 24, 2011 (hanged in Evin Prison)

Occupation: Lithographer at Amirkabir University (printed textbooks)

Affiliation: Accused of ties to PMOI/MEK opposition group

Arrest & Execution:
✔ Detained: September 18, 2009, during post-election protests
✔ Charges:

Visiting son in Camp Ashraf (PMOI base in Iraq)

Sharing protest photos abroad

"Anti-government slogans"
✔ Tortured: Beaten, psychologically abused, forced confession under threat to family
✔ Unfair Trial: No proper defense, evidence from coerced statements
✔ Hanged: With 2 others (Mohammad Ali Haj Aghaei, Ali Saremi)

Legacy:
Case exposed Evin Prison’s brutality

Symbol of Iran’s suppression of dissent

Family still denied justice

In His Words:
"I only wanted to see my son."

Early Life and Background
Born in Iran (exact date and location undocumented due to government suppression of information)

Worked as a skilled lithographer at Amirkabir University of Technology, producing textbooks and educational materials

Family man with strong ties to his son, who had joined the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI/MEK) opposition group

Political Context
Lived through:

The 1979 Islamic Revolution

1980s mass executions of political prisoners

2009 Green Movement protests following disputed presidential election

Arrest and Detention (2009)
September 18, 2009: Arrested during crackdown on post-election protests

Held in Evin Prison's Ward 209 (notorious for political prisoners)

Initial charges:

"Moharebeh" (enmity against God)

Membership in PMOI

Disseminating protest images

Torture and Interrogation
Subjected to:

Physical torture: Severe beatings, stress positions

Psychological torture: Threats against family members

Solitary confinement: Extended periods in isolation

Forced to confess under duress to:

Visiting son at Camp Ashraf (PMOI base in Iraq)

Participating in anti-government activities

Sham Trial Proceedings
Tried in Revolutionary Court without proper legal representation

Key flaws:

No access to evidence against him

Confession obtained under torture used as primary evidence

No opportunity to call witnesses

Sentenced to death based on:

Alleged PMOI membership

Claimed involvement in post-election protests

Final Days and Execution
January 24, 2011: Executed by hanging in Evin Prison

Executed alongside:

Mohammad Ali Haj Aghaei

Ali Saremi

Body not returned to family for proper burial

Execution conducted secretly; family notified after the fact

International Reaction
UN Human Rights Office: Condemned execution as violation of due process

Amnesty International: Declared him a prisoner of conscience

EU Parliament: Passed resolution condemning his execution

Family's Ongoing Struggle
Wife subjected to harassment and intimidation

Son remains in exile with PMOI

Family continues to:

Demand return of remains

Seek accountability for his unlawful execution

Preserve his memory as symbol of resistance

Legacy and Significance
Case exemplifies:

Iran's use of capital punishment to suppress dissent

Judicial corruption in political cases

Torture systematic in Iranian prisons

Remembered as:

Victim of 1980s-2010s continuous repression

Symbol of parental love (persecuted for visiting son)

Martyr for freedom of expression

Quote from Final Letter:
"I die for seeing my child, but I die with pride."

How they died

Execution by hanging

He was sentenced to death for co-operation with the Iranian opposition group People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI or MEK) and was hanged in Evin Prison on January 24, 2011.

Additional context

He was sentenced to death for co-operation with the Iranian opposition group People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI or MEK)

A plea from the family

1. Wife’s Public Campaign for Justice Exposed Torture: Revealed Kazemi endured beatings and psychological abuse in Evin Prison. Forced Confession: Authorities threatened to arrest her and their children unless he "confessed." Denied Final Goodbye: Prevented from seeing his body before execution; burial controlled by state. 2. Son’s Ordeal (Camp Ashraf Connection) Kazemi’s only "crime" was visiting his son, a PMOI member in Iraq. Iranian regime used these visits as "proof" of terrorism. Son remains in exile, unable to mourn publicly. 3. Family’s Unmet Demands ✔ Return of Body – Secretly buried; location undisclosed. ✔ Independent Investigation – Into torture and unfair trial. ✔ Accountability – For judges/interrogators involved. 4. International Response UN Condemnation: Cited case in reports on Iran’s arbitrary executions. Amnesty International: Named Kazemi a victim of "state revenge." Wife’s Defiance: "They killed a father for loving his child. We will never stop demanding justice."

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Jafar Kazemi, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources