Delara Darabi
| Delara Darabi | |
|---|---|
Delara Darabi
|
|
| Born |
29 September 1986 Rasht, Iran |
| Died | 1 May 2009 (aged 22) Rasht, Iran |
| Other names | The Prisoner of Colors; Aram |
| Occupation | Painter, poet |
| Criminal penalty | Death by hanging |
| Criminal status | Executed |
| Conviction(s) | Murder |
Delara Darabi (Persian: دلارا دارابى) (S29 September 1986 – 1 May 2009) was an Iranian Gilaki woman who was sentenced to death after having been convicted of murdering her father's female cousin in 2003. Although Delara initially claimed that she had committed the crime, she subsequently recanted and explained that her older boyfriend, Amir Hossein, had persuaded her to lie about the incident to protect him. According to Delara and other sources familiar with the case, Amir Hossein was the person who had committed the murder in an attempt to steal from a wealthy member of the Darabi family.
Darabi served five years of a prison sentence for theft on death row after her conviction. (In Iran, prisoners often have to serve time in prison before execution.) She initially confessed, but later recanted, claiming her boyfriend, Amir Hossein, persuaded her to confess by convincing her that he would be executed (as she would not have been in most places, being a minor; but this was not the case in Iran).
While on death row, Darabi, having developed a love of painting at an early age, completed several works that depicted her incarceration. In confinement, she also wrote poetry. Among her work is the poem entitled "Prison", a psychological and philosophical work on life in prison. A collection of her art was displayed at an exhibition in Tehran by supporters campaigning her release. Darabi's lawyer, Abdolsamad Khoramshahi, had appealed against the sentence, arguing that her conviction had been based solely on her confession and that her trial had failed to consider vital evidence.
Darabi was born in the northern city of Rasht, in the province of Gilan. Before her arrest she was a high-school student. She had three sisters: Elaheh, Ghazale and Sheida. As of July 2011, Delara's oldest sister, Elaheh, has married and Ghazale has graduated from college. Her sisters were also born in Rasht.
Darabi was hanged in the morning of 1 May 2009. The news of her hanging was announced to the world by internationally recognized Iranian-American lawyer, Lily Mazahery, who posted the information on Twitter.
Darabi was tried by a lower court in Rasht, found guilty and sentenced to death. Her lawyer was Abdolsamad Khorramshahi. The sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court. She maintained her innocence, and claimed that she was under the influence of drugs during the burglary, despite making a confession and pleading guilty earlier. At this stage the Head of the Judiciary had the power to order a stay of execution and a review of the case. The boyfriend Amir Hossein has reportedly received a prison sentence of 10 years as an accessory to the crime.
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