April 15, 2011
April 5th, 2011, RoozOnline – In an interview with Rooz Online’s Fereshteh Ghazi, Behnoud Ramezani’s father announced that he will pursue a complaint he filed with the judiciary until the individuals responsible for his son’s murder have been identified and put on trial.
Behnoud Ramezani’s father informed Rooz Online that on the night of the Iranian Fire Festival, his son was fatally beaten by motorcycle-riding security agents, resulting in fractures in his hand, foot, and neck, and the rupture of one his testes.
Behnood Ramezani, 19 years old and a second term student at Noushiravani University of Babol, died on the March 17, 2011, a day that corresponded with the “Tuesdays of Protest” and a tense security atmosphere in the city of Tehran; the event took place in the Narmak area of Tehran. The head of Security for the city of Tehran, Sardar Radan, announced in an interview that three individuals had lost their lives on the night of the Festival of Fire [Chaharshanbe Souri] as a result of explosions of hand grenades. Government media sources reiterated Radan’s claims, asserting that Behnoud Ramezani had lost his life as a result of a hand grenade detonating in his pant pocket; claims that were rejected by eye witnesses, Behnoud Ramezani’s family, and the coroner. The death certificate issued by the coroner had described the cause of death for Behnoud Ramezani as “injuries sustained as a result of severe blows to the body”.
An eye witness describes how motorcycle-riding basij’s attacked 22nd Square in Narmak, telling Rooz Online: “They were Basij’s, the same kind that ride around the streets on motorcycles chanting slogans of fear. Two of the motorcycles were carrying fire extinguishers. We were minding our own business. Nobody was chanting or protesting. We were busy celebrating our national tradition, Iranian Fire Festival. As time approached for us to say our goodbye’s and head back home, the basij’s suddenly attacked us and began beating everyone with batons and electric tasers. They were beating people up badly. People began shouting and complaining. Some people gathered to help those being beaten and the basij’s retreated. The basij’s were so frightened of the crowd and the fact that those present might begin creating problems, they left behind one of their motorcycles. I suddenly heard people shouting. They kept saying “They’ve killed someone! They’ve killed someone!”. I got up and saw that Behnoud was on the ground. He was not moving. The ambulance arrived and they took him to the hospital. We followed the ambulance but we were told that he had already passed away. I was in a state of shock, unable to believe what had happened… Later they published that a hand grenade had detonated, destroying his body into pieces. These are all LIES. He was beaten to death. No hand grenades detonated. He was severely beaten by batons, leaving his entire body injured. A few of the individuals fled the scene in a car. Our friends however, wrote down their license plate number.”
The content of Fereshteh Ghazi’s inteview with Behnoud Ramezani’s father is as follows:
Mr. Ramezani why was Behnoud not buried in Tehran? Some media outlets have published reports that the government delivered your son’s body on the condition that you retract your complaint and bury your son outside of Tehran. Is there any truth to these reports?
No, these are all rumors. There were no preconditions. After two days of being in a state of limbo, they finally delivered his body to us. We are originally from the village of Gharakhil in Ghaem Shahr. Our entire family lives there. We wanted to bury our son in our own village. As far as for our complaint, we referred [to the judicial authorities] on the night of his death.
Why did you have to wait for two days?
The [judiciary] said that they require two days for the necessary legal and bureaucratic procedures.
Can you please explain the condition of your son’s body after it was delivered to you?
His hands, feet, and neck were broken. One of his testes had ruptured. His entire body (back and torso) were bruised. Even his face was bruised. There were a lot of contusions resulting from beatings by stick or baton. When they announced “injuries sustained as a result of severe blows to the body” it can’t be anything else but beatings by stick or by baton.
What was the exact description of the cause of death in the forensic report?
The forensic report stated the cause of death as “severe blows to the body”. I have a copy of the report.
Can you please take us back to the night of the Fire Festival and tell us what Behnoud was doing in Narmak and describe the events that occurred on that night?
On the night of the Fire Festival, Behnoud had gone out to have fun with his friends, friends he had known since elementary school. He went out to celebrate the Iranian tradition that is more than a thousand years old; a tradition that our family has always celebrated. My son went out to celebrate this grand Iranian tradition with his childhood friends. The location where they gathered, 22nd Narmak square, was reportedly calm. There was no traffic and there no problems were reported until the motorcycle-riding agents arrived and started beating up my child…
Did you have an opportunity to speak with the eyewitnesses? Was there a reason why the motorcycle-riding security agents came to this location?
Yes. I spoke with the eyewitnesses, both at the hospital and after the fact. They said that those present were minding their own business. They celebrated the Fire Festival and were planning on heading back home when the motorcycle-riding individuals arrived and without any provocation, without asking who they were or what they were doing, and began beating everyone with batons and electric tasers.
Were your son’s friends also attacked and beaten?
Yes. They beat everyone, but Behnoud was beaten to death. I don’t know why. I wasn’t there. I only ask God for retribution. I would like to look in the eyes of those who beat my son up so badly and ask, “why?”. My child was only minding his own business. How could you beat an innocent and defenseless person so badly as to result in his death? Beat him so severely until his testicle ruptured, and his hands, feet, and neck were broken? These Godless individuals must explain why and how they committed such a crime….
How did you find out about the incident?
At 10:00pm, Behnoud called and said he would be home in half an hour. I still have his message. Twenty minutes after receiving this message, they called and said that Behnoud was in Alghadir hospital. I don’t remember how I got myself to the hospital. They said that when Behnoud arrived at the hospital he was pronounced dead. They first said that he had passed away as a result of burnings, but the forensic doctor stayed true to his conscience and reported the truth.
Is it true that you filed a complaint on that very night?
Yes, I filed a complaint and will definitely follow-up on it. It is my fundamental right as a citizen to demand why my innocent child was killed. What was his crime? I filed the complaint on the very night that he was killed. The report was filed at the 147th precinct. The officer present denied that a murder had taken place and asked why I was filing a complaint. I responded that police officers have a duty to protect the citizens and as police officers they need to respond to my question and explain why my child was killed. I need to know who killed my son. Since when is having fun a crime? Even if having fun is a crime, then you should have arrested him and put him on trial. Behnoud was by no means a violent person.
What is the status of your complaint?
I went to our village for my son’s funeral and burial ceremony and only returned yesterday. I need to follow up on this case. I am determined. They must identify and put my son’s killer on trial. The license plate number of the car they used to get away from the scene was written down by eyewitnesses. It was a Samand car with license plate number 61S-246-Iran44. We also have the forensic report. They will be able to easily identify the murderer or murderers. It is the responsibility of the judiciary and security officials to look into this matter. These are my bare minimum rights as a citizen.
Behnoud was a student. Was he your only child?
I had two sons, Behnoud and Parsa. Behnoud was a first year student at the Mechanical Faculty at Noushiravani University. He was a very smart kid. He was very conceptual as a child. What do you want me to say? Nothing I say will bring back my Behnoud. Nothing will bring him back to life. His mother cries night and day. They have destroyed our heart. They kept insisting that Behnoud had died of burns. They broke all his bones and broke our heart. We will only ask for justice. We will ask God to bare witness to all that happens, as God is aware of everything. We ask that society be the judge of what happened to our son. Everyone on this planet will be affected by his story, particularly those of us who are Iranians and Muslims. Our son was the love of our life….
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I would like to know why these motorcycles, without license plates, were in the hands of this Godless individuals? Why did they give people motorcycles without a license plate and allow them on the streets? Tell your readers that I would like to know why my son was killed. What was his crime? Make sure that his mother and father’s cries are heard by the people of our nation. That is all I have to say. We take refuge in God and his words that the rights of those who have unjustly lost their lives will be avenged….
Source
