Arrest of Man Accused of Sexual Assault Against Woman in Tehran
A man accused of assaulting a woman at Behesht-e Zahra cemetery has been arrested and tried by the Criminal Court of Tehran Province.
According to Hrana news agency, citing Iran Watch, a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Tehran has been arrested.
Based on this report, the case began with a complaint from a 40-year-old woman named Shahla. She went to the awareness police and described her complaint: “I have been separated from my husband for years and live alone with my 9-year-old daughter. My mother passed away a few months ago, and because of that, I would go to my mother’s grave every Friday morning at dawn. The last time I went to my mother’s grave, I encountered three young men. It was early morning and the cemetery was empty when one of them suddenly attacked me and assaulted me. His accomplices were watching.”
Based on the information Shahla provided to police officers, 33-year-old Omid was arrested and tried by the Ninth Branch of the Criminal Court of Tehran Province.
At the beginning of the session, Shahla requested a severe punishment and said: “I went to my mother’s grave in the early morning when Omid came towards me and asked me why my mother had died. Because I was not feeling well and was crying heavily, he gave me a juice packet which I believe contained alcoholic beverages. After drinking the juice, Omid suddenly attacked me and assaulted me.”
Later, the defendant said: “I have known Shahla for several years. We got to know each other several years ago when Shahla had recently separated from her husband. I intended to marry her, but she betrayed me. That is why I ended our relationship. During this time, my mother died and I became depressed. I had been addicted for a few months before going to a rehabilitation camp with my family’s help and gave up drugs. Recently, I met a young girl whom my family had introduced to me for marriage and I wanted to organize my life, and then Shahla filed such a complaint against me.”
The defendant continued: “After my mother’s death, I went to the cemetery every day before sunrise and then went to my workplace from there. Even the cemetery guards know me. That day I also went to my mother’s grave with my friend and brother, met Shahla, and talked to her. But the next morning she filed such a complaint against me. I am innocent, and Shahla has filed this complaint against me to ruin my life or force me to start a relationship with her.”
Finally, the judges went into deliberation to issue their verdict.
It should be noted that in the customary literature of licensed media, the words “assault and harassment” are used to refer to rape and various forms of sexual harm.
Source: Hrana
