Criminal law, International, Politics

Iran Hangs Woman Who Claimed That Intelligence Official Drugged And Raped Her

eg2vZynW_400x400We previously discussed the pending execution of Rayhaneh Jabbari, 26, for killing a former Iranian intelligence official who she said had raped her. Early reports that the execution had been carried out were premature and international efforts intensified to save Rayhaneh. I regret to report that the Associated Press is now confirming that today the Iranians hanged Rayhaneh in the latest outrage to come from that medieval legal system.

Jabbari claimed that a former Iranian Intelligence Ministry employee tried to rape her and that she stabbed in him the shoulder to escape. Despite the fact that a drink given to her was found to contain a date rape drug, the Iranian officials still wanted her hanged and they have now carried out their intent. Earlier this month, a guard showed mercy and gave her his phone to type a final message to her mother. Her reported message below is poignant and tragic as a final goodbye to her mother.

Jabbari wrote:

“I am currently handcuffed and there is a car waiting outside to take me for the execution of the sentence. Goodbye, dear Mum. All of my pains will finish early tomorrow morning. I’m sorry I cannot lessen your pain. Be patient. We believe in life after death. I’ll see you in the next world and I will never leave you again because being separated from you is the most difficult thing to do in the world.”

When her mother called the prison to ask what she could do, they told her to pick up the body of her daughter.

Jabbari was a decorator who said that she was contacted Morteza Abdolali Sarbandi, who arranged a meeting. She said that Sarbandi drugged her and tried to rape her after the two met at a café and she agreed to go to his office to discuss a business deal. She said that Sarbandi took her to a remote building and offered her a fruit drink which was later found to contain the date-rape drug. Her family noted that the wounds from a small pocket knife to the shoulder would not have caused death.

After her arrest, her family said that she was tortured to confess.

The official IRNA news agency says Reyhaneh Jabbari was hanged at dawn Saturday for premeditated murder.

The execution was carried out after Sarbandi’s family refused to pardon Jabbari or accept blood money. Blood money is still used in countries enforcing the Sharia “legal” system based on Islamic principles.

Her case highlighted not just the archaic and abusive elements of Sharia “courts” but the absurd lack of basic procedural and substantive rights of defendants in Iran.

47 thoughts on “Iran Hangs Woman Who Claimed That Intelligence Official Drugged And Raped Her”

  1. Karen S: Unfortunately, it’s not a matter of belief; it’s a matter of undisputed proof. Our system sticks to a false narrative that turns a rape victim into a criminal defendant just as stubbornly as Iran’s system does – if the false narrative is the prosecution’s. In fact, there are more legitimate reasons to doubt either way with the Iranian result than with the Livingston County, New York result, though I hasten to add that I don’t know enough about the Iranian case Prof. Turley blogs about here.

    The relevant point is that there are secular atrocities as well as religious ones, and without delving into Sharia law or Islam at all, as a general matter an atrocity can be deplored without bashing religious belief, which itself gets pretty ugly – as it already has right here on this thread.

    But then I do appreciate your objection about false equivalencies between Iran’s government and our own. You’re quite right. Nevertheless, the US has been on an historically anomalous prosecution and incarceration binge for about 30 years that has had catastrophic consequences for many people and has unquestionably produced numerous atrocities by any sane measure, including people having been wrongfully executed.

  2. Paul,
    It sounds as though Obama has some still clinging to the ignorant notion that defense, whether it is national or personal, is the sole province of the State. As false as that is, it gets worse. They have also been led to believe defense is merely a passive act that requires no preparation.

    1. Olly – Obama only knows about it if he sees it on TV. And then he is “so angry!”

  3. SWM, sounds like the gun totin’ Christians are looking forward to their very own ‘holy war’ here on our soil.

  4. Swarthmoremom,
    Oh wow! I’m not Catholic, but your point is clear; Christianity is not cause of the downfall of western civilization? And I’m with you; I also know plenty of Christians that are very skilled at controlling a gun. And don’t fear, our “small” faction of Christians will continue to provide the natural right of self-defense that many non-believers have ignorantly ceded to government.

  5. Olly, Many christians worldwide believe in global warming as does the pope. One must be a good steward of the earth and not put corporate profits first. Many good christians are for gun control. Fortunately, you represent a small faction of christians.

  6. Els DL said: “I continue to be confused by those in the US, mostly the religious right who continue to push for religion to be included in the public sphere like the State Schools.”

    I’m pleased I’ve helped you out of your state of confusion. You still have a way to go though, because you forgot to blame Christians for global warming, the mortgage meltdown, Katrina, gun violence and so much more. Perhaps you can get assistance from one of the other 19. Have a blessed day!

  10. Paul Shulte, your comment is so full of pure ignorance I am not tempted at all to engage you further about scientific facts. Man, what utter nonsense. Why isn’t anyone else here calling you out on this. Oh well, they probably have learned to ignore your comments on this already.

    1. Els DL – Exactly where am I wrong? An ad hominem attack will not do. Put up or shut up!!!

  11. Olly, I am not confused at all. You cite the Christian school your son attends to prove exactly what? One school is teaching your son scientific facts? WoW. I could counter that easily: I went to a Christian school myself and didn’t learn anything about Evolution. WoW again.
    You surely are intelligent enough to know all of what is being done to undermine the Public Schools in this country but you fake surprise. Here’s just one link to many I could send you but it is a good start: http://www.pfaw.org/media-center/publications/back-school-religious-right.
    “Christian principles are taught as a sound basis for personal behavior?”: your quote.
    Do enlighten me, Olly, exactly what personal behavior are you referring to because much of what I hear, read and see seems troubling behavior to me and some of it downright mean. Surely, you don’t mean the right wing religious leaders and politicians behavior toward the poor, toward pro-choice men and women, toward the LBGT community of people, toward atheists, toward single mothers, toward the use of birth control, toward rape victims, toward Muslims and other non-Christians? From where I see just a bunch of power-hungry sanctimonious men hiding their frustrations, their fears and their own shortcomings by claiming that God is talking to them. Please don’t let me even mention all the hypocrisy exposed by too many among these religious leaders and politicians.
    Above all, don’t tell me that one needs Christian principles as a basis for becoming a decent human being.
    Yet, I’m sure happy your son is taught to be a critical thinker. In my case it was my mother who taught me to think critically and I am ever so grateful.
    Sorry, Olly, your attempt at describing me as ‘confused’ is a poor attempt at hiding your own confused state of mind perhaps?

  12. rafflaw:

    They do not execute rape victims for adultery in Texas. Karen S They are known in Texas for executing innocent people. Maybe, some were rape victims. Who knows?

  13. rafflaw:

    They do not execute rape victims for adultery in Texas.

    I hate when people compare the human rights abuses under Sharia Law with our relative freedoms, and claim similar persecution.

  14. Paul:

    I would agree with “their country, their rules” if the people were free to leave. If they didn’t like it, they could vote with their feet.

    But I am saddened by the plight of women and children who cannot leave. Who are brutalized and helpless, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

    We can’t force another country to change their laws, but we can vote with our dollars. We shouldn’t support countries that abuse human rights. As far as Iran goes, we don’t have an embassy, so not much we can do.

  15. JMRJ:

    Ummmmmm, actually no, we don’t execute women for being unchaste here.

    There are certainly wrongful convictions or prosecutorial wrongdoing, but there are methods to fight those.

    If you believe that similar things happen here, I suggest you do the following experiment: Go to the middle of New York, and yell, “I’m a gay Jew.” Record what happens. Now go to Iran and repeat. Set a timer to see how long you live. Good luck.

  16. Nooooooooooo!

    This was so wrong!

    Her poor mother.

    RIP Jabbari. May you shine a light on the iniquitous evil that killed you.

  17. Els DL,
    “Their push toward weakening access to fact-based science for students is duly noted. Nothing good will come from that however, especially for American girls and women. While the laws in the Muslim world are blatantly biased against women I have seen for years a troubling trend in the US toward inserting religious norms in public institutions like educational institutions with often very narrow goals laid out for girls and boys as they mature into adults.”

    I agree with you Els, you certainly do seem confused. Private Christian schools (like that my son goes to) teach fact-based science and other courses that require critical-thinking skills. Christian principles are taught and are a sound basis for personal behavior. I’m curious to know where this “troubling trend” you cite, exists. What “very narrow goals” are laid out for the boys and girls?

    You needn’t be confused by a free-society seeking to express their right of conscience in any manner they choose, as long as that doesn’t infringe the rights of others. Freedom from and of religion can coexist within a tolerant culture; the confusion you might be feeling is the reaction of others pushing back against intolerance.

  18. On a positive note, early this morning I received news that the young Afghan girl who was raped in a mosque by the local Mullah in Kunduz Province got justice, a very rare and very welcome precedent there. Thanks to some very brave Afghan female human rights activists and others outside the country, the Mullah was found guilty of rape of an underage girl and sentenced to a prison term of 20 years as well as payment to the girl for a substantial amount of Afghanis.
    The news of the Iranian woman’s death is horrible. We can choose to feel powerless fighting these kinds of injustices but fighting on behalf of human rights is not for the weak hearted. The fight is long, seemingly never ending and so often frustrating. The rewards however are enormous as with the case of the young Afghan girl.
    I continue to be confused by those in the US, mostly the religious right who continue to push for religion to be included in the public sphere like the State Schools. Their push toward weakening access to fact-based science for students is duly noted. Nothing good will come from that however, especially for American girls and women. While the laws in the Muslim world are blatantly biased against women I have seen for years a troubling trend in the US toward inserting religious norms in public institutions like educational institutions with often very narrow goals laid out for girls and boys as they mature into adults. For those of you who still care a bit about rights of women and support ending of violence against women whether here in the US or elsewhere, I recommend you find an action you can support, like the one I discussed earlier and which resulted in justice. For those who have given up hope that anything you do is futile, I guess there are always football and baseball games to watch on TV!

    1. Els DL – if you are talking about fact based science being Darwinian Evolution, Darwin was dead wrong on genetics. On every chance he had to revise his book he still got it wrong or wronger as he continued to work on the problem. And fact-based science, beyond a few Laws of science are mostly opinions based on hunches. Climate Change has no real science, math or facts behind it. What it does have is control of publications in the field. We learned this from the emails that were hijacked. We also know that the ‘science’ of Michael Mann (who should be stripped of his doctorate for sleazy science) cannot be duplicated because he has declared the data proprietary.

  19. And she was executed by Iran’s moderates! Women are of little worth in theocracies like Iran. Of course Iran is not the only country that treats its women like this Saudi Arabia from whom we are not dropping bombs in the ME treats women like the lowest of the law and “infidels” are not far behind.

Comments are closed.