Abdulrahman Nafisi

Murder at Hamedan's Bank Keshavarzi Iran occurred on 11 February 1990 in the basement of the central branch of Bank Keshavarzi Iran in Hamedan, located close to Avicenna Mausoleum which is called Meydan-e-Aramgah . In this incident, the bank manager, his wife and two children, and the bank guard were killed during the robbery. With the extensive efforts of the officers, three robbers, one of whom was a dismissed employee of the same bank, were arrested and confessed to the crime. An extraordinary court was formed for this case and a verdict was issued based on Iran's law. The convicts were executed only four days after the crime. According to the prosecutor, this crime, in terms of the depth of the tragedy, the speed of the investigation, and the punishment, was considered rare or unprecedented in the History of the judicial system of Iran until that time.

Incident In the early hours of 11 February 1990, three individuals broke into the central branch of Bank Keshavarzi Iran in Hamedan with the intention of robbing it. They initially bound the unarmed bank guard with a rope before proceeding to the bank manager's residence on the second floor. Around 2:30 AM, they removed the door hinges and entered, confronting Nafisi and his wife, who had been awakened by the noise. The manager's two children were also roused and captured by the masked robbers.

After stabbing Nafisi and searching the apartment, the assailants discovered the bank vault key. They then took Nafisi and his family to the basement. Following two to three hours of torture and threats, Nafisi was compelled to open the first vault door using its combination and the key. He hoped the second door would deter the robbers as the second key was kept with another bank official at a different location. Realizing the criminals possessed an iron saw and were determined to access the vault, Nafisi pleaded with them to take only his personal belongings instead of the people's money. Unsuccessful in persuading them, he identified the main robber by name, having recognized him during the ordeal. Nafisi warned the robber that the money would not bring him peace. However, when the robbers gained access to the safe and sent one of their members inside to scatter the money, they began killing everyone present. Nafisi, his wife Fatemeh Taherian, their two sons Peyman (12) and Iman (4), and the guard Hossein Shokri were murdered. The eldest child, Bita (16), was staying with relatives on the night of the incident.

The public prosecutor of Hamedan, Ahmad Bashirieh, said: Upon learning of this horrific crime, I immediately went to the crime scene. Given the scale of the crime, the number of victims, and the theft of a large sum of money from the bank vault, an emergency meeting was convened. Security officials and the investigating officer were present, all deeply affected. We vowed to pursue the criminals until they were apprehended. The governor and other authorities offered their support. An expert team from Tehran was dispatched. Our efforts were successful, and the criminals, one of whom had fled south, were arrested. The stolen money was recovered. The brutality of the crime caused widespread fear, particularly among students. The incident was covered extensively by domestic and foreign media. The people of Hamedan widely welcomed the execution of the criminals.

Honors and commemorations Years after the tragic murder of Nafisi and his family, both he and his wife were officially recognized as martyrs by Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs. An alley adjacent to the bank has been named in Nafisi's honor, and a monument stands in front of the central branch of Bank Keshavarzi Iran in Hamadan, symbolizing his courage and dedication as the bank manager and protector of the treasury. Additionally, a novel titled "Bita," written by Nafisi's son-in-law, documents the events surrounding their deaths. In recent years, a coalition of NGOs has held annual commemorations of this event in Hamadan.