The victim, Saifullah Faizi, a 15-year-old teenager from Bukan, was executed on August 28 of 1979, by the order of Khalkhali the executioner, along with 19 young people and intellectuals in Saqqez.

Part of the story from the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center:

Saifullah Faizi son of Mostafa and Fatehmeh was a 15-year-old boy from the nearby town of Bukan who was arrested during the war in Saqqez. His sister, Gohar Faizi, recalls that her brother, like many young Kurds, helped bringing food and other supplies to Kurdish fighters. She was told that an army helicopter spun over their heads and dropped a hook that caught the boy, while Faizi was delivering food to the fighters with a group of 20-30 people. The helicopter then dragged him on the ground for about ten miles on rugged mountainous surfaces. It moved away from the front line and reached the military barracks in Saqqez. The road was full of rocks and thorn bushes. During this horrific trip, Faizi’s arm was hit by a rock and was broken (178).

There was no medical equipment in the barracks to treat Faizi. He was taken to Sanandaj Hospital. During a helicopter trip to the hospital, one of the guards threatened to throw him out in the middle of the flight. However, the pilot strongly opposed and managed to take Faizi to Sanandaj Hospital. Faizi was treated and later returned to Saqqez.

Gohar Faizi recalls that her brother was interrogated a few days after his return:

“Khalkhali came to Saqqez when he became a judge. My brother was taken to him. He was asked who he was without a trial or being asked what his case was or how his mental and physical health was. He replied: “I helped people and distributed food and medicine to them.” He was asked who his leader is. He replied: “Dr. Qasemlou”. Then Khalkhali, who was holding a thin stick in his hand, said to my brother, “Go over there.” He was selected for the execution. It was the entire questioning.

Faizi’s family was told to come and see him in custody. So they took clean clothes and food for him and took a bus to Saqqez. Gohar recalls seeing many women on the way wearing black chadors. As they approached Saqqez, they saw about 300 to 400 men and women walking. The bus stopped and the driver asked them if the bus could enter the city. They replied that the bus could, but the city was under martial law. They advised him to stay away from the main roads. When passengers asked about the reason, they said that Ayatollah Khalkhali had executed about 20 people that day, including a boy who is not yet 16 years old. They also said that another group had not been executed.

Fear of grief and intense anxiety overwhelmed Gohar Faizi. She hoped the teen victim was not her brother. She, her mother and sisters got off when the bus arrived. They walked towards the Saqqez military barracks with a group of mostly women. Soldiers started firing at them. The women laid down to protect themselves. Someone from the watchtower warned the group not to come closer otherwise they would be shot and killed. A guard came out and asked why they were coming to the barracks. They replied that they wanted to visit their relatives who were in prison. The officer told them to go to the central mosque in the city. He said all the prisoners had been released and were waiting there.

Faizi’s family walked to the mosque, they were anxious and worried. The mosque was full of people. Faizi’s family saw the bodies of executed there. They were told to help identify the bodies. Gohar saw a lot of corpses piled, poured with ice on top of each one. A large crowd, many of them weeping and wailing, had gathered around the corpses. They tried to identify the bodies of their relatives. Gohar remembers:

“On the one hand, I was terrified and shocked. On the other hand, I was unconsciously drawn to the bodies. My brother and I had a very close relationship. He often took me home from school putting his hand on my shoulder. That’s why his hands and fingers were so familiar to me. I recognized him among so many bodies, when I saw his body I kissed his hands. His chest was pierced. He was hit by 20 bullets. The trace of the rope was around his neck. His arm was still in plaster. I screamed that this is my  brother.”