HCHR- The trial of Sharmahd, the ringleader of the Tondar (Thunder), a terrorist group accused of committing terror attacks and anti-revolutionary operations against Iran, was held in a plenary court session presided over by Judge Abolqassem Salavati in the capital, Tehran.
The prosecutor's representative, the families of the victims of the group’s terrorist acts and the defendant and his lawyers were in attendance.
The highlights of the hearing is available here.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is among few nations to have been a major victim of terrorism despite taking various counter-terrorism measures. Over recent decades, more than 17,000 innocent civilians have lost their lives in terrorist operations carried out by a variety of terrorist groups.
Enjoying the all-out support of the U.S. government, Jamshid Sharmahd, the ringleader of the terrorist Kingdom Assembly of Iran, hereinafter referred to as Tondar, was carrying out terrorist operations prior to his arrest in July 2020. The first court hearing for Sharmahd was held on 6 February 2022 in the presence of the defendant’s attorneys.
The fifth court hearing for the abovenamed was held on 12 July 2022 with a group of claimants and families of martyrs and the injured in attendance, during which, three individuals who had sustained injuries during a bombing at Hosseinieh Rahpouyan-e Vesal in Shiraz, and the martyrs’ next-of-kin demanded that the ringleader of the terrorist Tondar group be sentenced to qisas. The highlights of the court session are listed as hereunder:
"My hands and feet were injured and my left leg was paralyzed during the terrorist attack. I demand that the Court act based on the Holy Sharia and the law. It was at 08:00 when I entered Hosseinieh Shiraz, near the bombing site. Prayers and mourning ceremony were underway and I was performing the mourning ritual when there came a big bang. I was transferred to the hospital immediately; however, fourteen operating rooms were filled with injured people. I lapsed into a coma for three days. After that, I was hospitalized for twenty-eight days. I have also been admitted to operating room three times over the last four months, during which I have also been hospitalized on three occasions. The explosion unfortunately left individuals like me and many others injured, and martyred fourteen people.”, said Alireza Bonyani during the court session.
Mr. Shirvani, another victim of the bombing, said: “My head was hit by a shrapnel and my knees got injured. I demand the Court sentence him to capital punishment.”
“The American government is definitely behind the bombing. Undoubtably, it is the agents and puppets of this government who usually perpetrate these crimes. I demand capital punishment from the Court.”, said Mr. Zahmatkeshan, a victim of the bombing.
During the court session, the mother of Razieh Keshavarz, a young female martyr, said: “My daughter was an elite. One of her goals was to help people. I thank God for having bestowed on me a virtuous daughter like Razieh. I would also like to thank God that my daughter was martyred during her best and purest spiritual moments in Hosseinieh Shiraz by the worst people of the time. We cannot call this person a human; he is the Satan himself. He is a defector and traitor. Alireza, Erfan, Razieh, 18-year-old Ali Nowrouzi and 20-year-old Mahdavi were the students who could live a good life.”
"Our crime is clear: being a Muslim! Mr. Entezami’s biggest crimes is bringing his child to [ritual places like] Hosseinieh since his early days – and that’s because all of them love Imam Hossein (PBUH). The mother and father of Martyr Yaqouti are no longer alive. Currently, after fifteen years, Mr. Bonyani, a victim of the bombing, undergoes surgery every three months.”, said Ahmad Paryabi, the representative of the Hosseinieh Shiraz, who was present at the Court as a star witness. Calling on the Court to sentence the ringleader of the terrorist Tondar group to qisas, he added: “Demanding capital punishment is the least we can do. This person has been the leader and designer [of the terrorist bombing]. We are here to sue the American government, the mother of all terrorists. We are here to sue the Zionist regime. These people must not be dealt with in a similar way to common criminals. Therefore, we request the Court to publicly execute this person’s sentence in [the city of] Shiraz and in front of Hosseinieh.
The mother of Mr. Mahdavi, a young martyr of the bombing, said: “My son was an ordinary individual. In addition to studying, he also placed a premium on his beliefs. My son was martyred fifteen years ago in Hosseinieh Shiraz in his father’s arms. I ask the Court to consider the harshest punishment for this person who took away from us all our happiness. What was our children’s sin?”
“We’ve not seen our father for fourteen years. Considered one of the sincere employees of the municipality, my father only worked for the [love and] pleasure of God. In an interview, Sharmahd had referred to the Basiji people as “mercenaries”. I must say that you yourself are a mercenary. You have betrayed your country. You are a traitor. You tried everything and received money for it, but where did you end up? My brother has a message for you: We will never forgive you!”, stressed the daughter of Mr. Nassiri, a martyr of the bombing.’
The brother of martyr Mousavi, said: “What sin had my brother committed? I request you to sentence him to the harshest punishment.”
“I’ve been suffering for fifteen years. These people bombed and martyred our children. We are the Followers of the Martyrs’ Line. Those who resort to bombing must know that never ever will we back down. The defectors and bombers will ultimately pay for it. We leave these people to God. They were happy after the bombing. I hope they will be humiliated in this world and the Hereafter.”, said the father of martyr Joukar.