Description

Rouhollah Zam was an Iranian journalist and the editor of the Telegram channel "Voice of the People" (Amadnews). This channel exposed corruption among Iranian officials and covered protests in Iran. Zam had been living in exile in France since 2009 due to his opposition to the Iranian government. In October 2019, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that they had arrested Zam through a "complex operation" that involved deception. It is reported that he was lured to Iraq, where he was kidnapped and transferred to Iran. After being returned, Zam was moved to prison and later appeared on state television, where he made "forced confessions." Zam's family claimed that he was held in solitary confinement without access to a lawyer for nine months and had no communication with his family during that time. In February 2020, his trial began, and in June 2020, he was convicted of "corruption on earth" and sentenced to death. The Iranian Supreme Court confirmed his death sentence in December 2020, and Zam was executed on December 12, 2020.

Events:
- Arrest and kidnapping: In October 2019, the IRGC kidnapped Zam in a deception operation by luring him to Iraq and then transferring him to Iran
- Forced confession on state television: Zam appeared on Iranian state television and "confessed" to managing the Amadnews channel. His family reported that he had been deprived of contact with them or a lawyer for several months
- Trial and conviction: Zam's trial began in February 2020. In June 2020, he was convicted of charges including "corruption on earth," a charge used by Iranian authorities to justify the death sentence
- Execution: The Iranian Supreme Court confirmed Zam's death sentence in December 2020, and he was hanged on December 12, 2020

Legal and human rights considerations:
- Use of the death penalty: The use of the death penalty against Rouhollah Zam was strongly criticized, especially due to the forced confession aired on state television and the lack of fair trial rights
- Kidnapping and illegal detention: The manner of his kidnapping and prolonged detention without access to a lawyer violated international human rights laws regarding arbitrary detention and fair trial
- Freedom of expression: This case illustrates the Iranian government's intolerance towards freedom of expression, highlighting that journalists and activists critical of the regime face harassment, imprisonment, and even execution. Rouhollah Zam's case demonstrates the Iranian government's use of extrajudicial methods to silence dissent. His forced confession and execution violate numerous international human rights standards, including the right to a fair trial and protection against arbitrary detention

Categories

• Suppression of Civil Society

Violation Types

• Right to Life
• Freedom of Thought, Conscience, and Religion
• Arbitrary or Unlawful Interference with Privacy, Family, Home or Correspondence
• Freedom of Assembly and Association

Possible International Crimes

• Murder as a crime against humanity
• Imprisonment and imposing severe restrictions on individuals' freedom as a crime against humanity
• Forced abduction as a crime against humanity
• Harassment and torture as crimes against humanity, in political, racial, national, ethnic, cultural, religious, and gender domains