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Iran Human Rights (May 12 2016): Iran Human Rights has obtained a phone interview conducted by the human rights news site, HRANA, with Azadeh Geravand, the wife of Reza Hosseini, a man who was recently executed by Iranian authorities on drug charges. HRANA has also published court documents and Mr. Hosseini's will. According to these documents, Reza Hosseini, who was executed on May 3, had insisted on his innocence in court and did not possess a previous criminal record. Iran Human Rights (IHR) calls on the United Nations to conduct an independent investigation into Reza Hosseini's case.

Reza Hosseini, 34, who resided in the city of Kuhdasht (located in the province of Lorestan, western Iran), was reportedly among four prisoners hanged to death on Tuesday May 3 at Karaj's Ghezel Hesar Prison (northern Iran). In an unfair trial that reportedly lasted only a couple minutes, a notorious revolutionary court judge by the name of "Tayerani" sentenced Hosseini to death on drug related charges without presenting a single piece of evidence to support the claims. According to official court documents obtained by Iran Human Rights, Hosseini was charged with possession of 140 kilograms and 305 grams of heroin, but he never pled guilty in court or accepted the charges against him.

Iran Human Rights has also obtained a copy of a will Hosseini wrote before his execution where he insists that he was innocent and makes reference to a remark Tayerani made to him in court: If you are innocent, then you will go to heaven after you are hanged.

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According to Geravand, the Prosecutor on her husband's case file had reassured the family that Hosseini was indeed innocent and would be exonerated. However, in a trial that reportedly lasted two minutes, Judge Tayerani allegedly offered to help Hosseini if he agreed to plead guilty. "My husband had asked the Judge, 'Why should I plead guilty if I am innocent?' And that's when the Judge responded: If you are innocent, then you will go to heaven after you are hanged."