Five Afghan nationals who are on death row on charges of possessing drugs and Kalashnikov rifles, denied all the accusations and remarked in an open letter that they were tortured to confess the crimes they had not committed. The text of their open letter to inform public opinion follows:
“We, Mohammad Mizanzehi, Eid Mohammad Mizanzehi, Shah Mohammad Mizanzehi, Serajeddin Gavkhor and Ahmadshah Esa zehi are all Afghan nationals who were going to Tehran for work.
We took a ride to Birjand but in the middle of the journey we involved a fight with the driver. Then he left us for taking gasoline and got back with agents.
I, Mohammad Mizanzehi was injured when we initially were arrested and they took us to Bandan police station where they severely tortured us. They pulled out my right toes and accused us to possess 140 kilograms of opium and two Kalashnikov rifles. We haven’t even seen opium let alone carrying it with arm.
I, swear to God and to the Prophet, I had a very little amount of opium which I used as painkiller.
We confessed in fear of our lives while were under torture and in the hope that maybe they stop torturing us if we did so. We were forced to accept the accusations thus a case was filed as they desired and was referred to judiciary officials. After five years, judiciary officials of Branch two of Revolutionary Court in Birjand, Messrs. Nabavi and Seifzadeh, unjustly sentenced us to death.”
