Mykonos restaurant assassinations
Encyclopedia
In the Mykonos restaurant assassinations (Persian
: ترور رستوران میکونوس, also the "Mykonos Incident"), Iranian-Kurdish opposition leaders Sadegh Sharafkandi
, Fattah Abdoli, Homayoun Ardalan and their translator Nouri Dehkordi were assassinated at the Mykonos Greek restaurant in Berlin
, Germany
on 17 September 1992.
In the Mykonos trial, the German court found Kazem Darabi, an Iran
ian who worked as a grocer in Berlin, and Lebanese
Abbas Rhayel, guilty of murder and sentenced them to life in prison. Two other Lebanese, Youssef Amin and Mohamed Atris, were convicted of being accessories to murder. In its 10 April 1997 ruling, the court issued an international arrest warrant for Iranian intelligence minister Hojjat al-Islam Ali Fallahian
after declaring that the assassination had been ordered by him with knowledge of supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
and president Ayatollah Rafsanjani
. This led to a diplomatic crisis between the governments of Iran and several European countries, which lasted until November 1997.
In a 2004 letter to Berlin mayor Klaus Wowereit
, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (then mayor of Tehran
) objected to the commemorative plaque in front of the restaurant, calling it an insult to Iran.
Despite international and domestic protests, Darabi and Rhayel were released from prison on 10 December 2007 and deported back to their home countries.
At the same dinner where the four were executed also two-term Prime Minister of Sweden
and then leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party
Ingvar Carlsson
, then party secretary of the Swedish Social Democratic Party Mona Sahlin
and former Swedish State Secretary for Foreign Affairs
Pierre Schori
were originally intended to participate. However, due to a telephone call to Ingvar Carlsson from then Prime Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt
, who urged Carlsson to immediately return to Sweden due to the urgent state of the Swedish economy, all three flew back to Sweden the same day and thus probably escaped being assassinated as well.
in her book Assassins of the Turquoise Palace.
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
: ترور رستوران میکونوس, also the "Mykonos Incident"), Iranian-Kurdish opposition leaders Sadegh Sharafkandi
Sadegh Sharafkandi
Sadegh Sharafkandi was a Kurdish political activist and the Secretary-General of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran ....
, Fattah Abdoli, Homayoun Ardalan and their translator Nouri Dehkordi were assassinated at the Mykonos Greek restaurant in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on 17 September 1992.
In the Mykonos trial, the German court found Kazem Darabi, an Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian who worked as a grocer in Berlin, and Lebanese
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
Abbas Rhayel, guilty of murder and sentenced them to life in prison. Two other Lebanese, Youssef Amin and Mohamed Atris, were convicted of being accessories to murder. In its 10 April 1997 ruling, the court issued an international arrest warrant for Iranian intelligence minister Hojjat al-Islam Ali Fallahian
Ali Fallahian
Hojatoleslam Ali Fallahian, is an Iranian politician and cleric. He has served as a member of the 3rd Assembly of Experts of the IRI and as the Minister of Intelligence of Islamic Republic of Iran in cabinet of President Hashemi Rafsanjani...
after declaring that the assassination had been ordered by him with knowledge of supreme leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
Ali Khamenei
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Hoseyni Khāmene’i is the Supreme Leader of Iran and the figurative head of the Muslim conservative establishment in Iran and Twelver Shi'a marja...
and president Ayatollah Rafsanjani
. This led to a diplomatic crisis between the governments of Iran and several European countries, which lasted until November 1997.
In a 2004 letter to Berlin mayor Klaus Wowereit
Klaus Wowereit
Klaus Wowereit is a German politician, member of the SPD , and has been the Mayor of Berlin since the 2001 state elections, where his party won a plurality of the votes, 29.7%. He served as President of the Bundesrat in 2001/02. His SPD-led coalition was re-elected in the 2006 elections...
, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (then mayor of Tehran
Tehran
Tehran , sometimes spelled Teheran, is the capital of Iran and Tehran Province. With an estimated population of 8,429,807; it is also Iran's largest urban area and city, one of the largest cities in Western Asia, and is the world's 19th largest city.In the 20th century, Tehran was subject to...
) objected to the commemorative plaque in front of the restaurant, calling it an insult to Iran.
Despite international and domestic protests, Darabi and Rhayel were released from prison on 10 December 2007 and deported back to their home countries.
At the same dinner where the four were executed also two-term Prime Minister of Sweden
Prime Minister of Sweden
The Prime Minister is the head of government in the Kingdom of Sweden. Before the creation of the office of a Prime Minister in 1876, Sweden did not have a head of government separate from its head of state, namely the King, in whom the executive authority was vested...
and then leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party
Swedish Social Democratic Party
The Swedish Social Democratic Workers' Party, , contesting elections as 'the Workers' Party – the Social Democrats' , or sometimes referred to just as 'the Social Democrats' and most commonly as Sossarna ; is the oldest and largest political party in Sweden. The party was founded in 1889...
Ingvar Carlsson
Ingvar Carlsson
Gösta Ingvar Carlsson is a Swedish politician, Prime Minister of Sweden and leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party ....
, then party secretary of the Swedish Social Democratic Party Mona Sahlin
Mona Sahlin
Mona Ingeborg Sahlin is a Swedish politician and the former leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party.Sahlin has been a Member of Parliament, representing Stockholm County, from 1982 to 1996 and again since 2002. She has also held various ministerial posts in the Swedish government from 1990...
and former Swedish State Secretary for Foreign Affairs
State Secretary for Foreign Affairs (Sweden)
The State Secretary for Foreign Affairs is the highest position below the rank of cabinet minister at the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs. , Frank Belfrage is State Secretary....
Pierre Schori
Pierre Schori
Jean - Pierre Olov Schori is a Swedish diplomat of Swiss heritage. For many years he was international secretary in the Swedish Socialdemocratic Party and a close assistant to the Swedish prime minister Olof Palme...
were originally intended to participate. However, due to a telephone call to Ingvar Carlsson from then Prime Minister of Sweden Carl Bildt
Carl Bildt
, Honorary KCMG is a Swedish politician, diplomat and nobleman. Formerly Prime Minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994 and leader of the liberal conservative Moderate Party from 1986 to 1999, Bildt has served as Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs since 6 October 2006...
, who urged Carlsson to immediately return to Sweden due to the urgent state of the Swedish economy, all three flew back to Sweden the same day and thus probably escaped being assassinated as well.
Adaptations in Media
The events surrounding the Mykonos restaurant assassinations and subsequent trial were adapted into a non-fiction story by Roya HakakianRoya Hakakian
Roya Hakakian is an Iranian-American poet, journalist and writer living in the United States. A lauded Persian poet turned television producer with programs like 60 Minutes, Roya became well known for her memoir, Journey from the Land of No in 2004. Her essays on Iranian issues appear in the New...
in her book Assassins of the Turquoise Palace.
See also
- Iran-Germany relationsIran-Germany relationsGerman–Iranian relations refer to bilateral relationis between Germany and Iran. Official diplomatic relations between Iran and post war Germany began in 1952 when Iran opened its first mission office in Bonn...
- 1986 Berlin discotheque bombing1986 Berlin discotheque bombingThe 1986 Berlin discotheque bombing was a terrorist attack on the La Belle discothèque in West Berlin, Germany, an entertainment venue that was commonly frequented by United States soldiers...
- Chain Murders of IranChain murders of IranThe Chain Murders of Iran , or Serial Murders, were a series of murders and disappearances from 1988-1998 by Iranian government operatives of Iranian dissident intellectuals who had been critical of the Islamic Republic system in some way.The victims included more than 80 writers, translators,...
- Kurdistan Democratic Party of IranKurdistan Democratic Party of IranThe Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan , abbreviated as PDKI, KDPI, PDK-I, is a Kurdish political party in Iranian Kurdistan which seeks the attainment of Kurdish national rights within a democratic federal republic of Iran....
External links
- CNN: German court implicates Iran leaders in '92 killings
- Official court ruling, pdf, German
- Iran Human Rights Documentation Center: Murder at Mykonos: Anatomy of a Political Assassination
- "Holy Crime" A Documentary by Reza Allamehzadeh about the assassinations (English version on YouTube)
- Assassinations of Those Who are against Iran's Government; An Interview with Reza Allamehzadeh (Radio Zamaneh, in Persian)