On 9 May 2010 Farzad Kamangar, a 35-year-old teacher and member of the Teachers’ Trade Association of Kurdistan, was hanged in secret in Evin prison in Tehran. Kamangar, who had lived with the threat of death penalty since 2008, was accused of «endangering national security» and «enmity against God». After a sham trial that had lasted less than five minutes, the teacher suffered torture and psychological pressure in prison. His family was not informed on the forthcoming execution or allowed to say goodbye.
Although the Iranian authorities had accepted Kamangard’s appeal, the case stalled when it should have been sent to the Supreme Court for review. After further delays, Kamangar’s lawyer was told that his file had been lost. Despite the evident lack of independent inquiry into the allegations and the absence of a fair judicial process, the teacher was executed to the outrage of the international trade union movement and human rights defenders.