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Iran: Executions in Shiraz, Isfahan, Karaj

Watching a public hanging in Iran
Iran Human Rights (IHR); August 21, 2019: A man was executed at Shiraz prison for murder Sunday. 

According to IHR sources, a man was hanged at Shiraz prison (known as Adel-Abad) for murder on August 18, 2019.

IHR can confirm his identity as Amin Zanganeh. The Execution is not announced by the Iranian authorities so far. 

Sources told IHR that Amin was in prison for four years before his execution was carried out. 

At least 110 people were executed in Iran in the first half of 2019.

Only 37 of the executions have been announced by authorities or Iranian media. 

Iran Human Rights (IHR) could confirm 73 more through its sources. 

IHR only reports the unannounced executions if it could confirm those with two separate credible sources. Therefore, the actual number of executions may be even higher than reported.

Man Hanged in Isfahan


Iran Human Rights (IHR); August 21, 2019: A prisoner was executed at the prison of Najafabad city, Isfahan province, Thursday. 

According to IHR sources, on the morning of Thursday, August 15, a man was executed at the prison of Najafabad city, Isfahan province. 

He was identified by IHR as Hashem Mardoudi, 36, from the northern city of Lahijan. 

“Hashem was arrested five years ago for killing a man. His family tried their best to win the plaintiffs’ consent but they failed. The victim’s family refused to accept diya (blood money) and insisted on qisas (retribution in kind),” a well-informed source told IHR.

According to the Iranian Islamic Penal Code (IPC) murder is punishable by qisas which means “retribution in kind” or retaliation. 

In this way, the State effectively puts the responsibility of the death sentence for murder on the shoulders of the victim’s family. 

In qisas cases, the plaintiff has the possibility to forgive or demand diya (blood money). 

In many cases, the victim's family are encouraged to put the rope around the prisoner's neck and even carry out the actual execution by pulling off the chair the prisoner is standing on.

Man Hanged at Karaj Central Prison


Iran Human Rights (IHR); August 20, 2019: A man was hanged at Karaj for murder at Karaj Central Prison Wednesday.

According to IHR sources, a man was hanged at Karaj Central Prison on the morning of Wednesday, August 14, 2019. His name is revealed by sources as Saeed Khalaj. 

“Less than three years ago, Saeed was arrested for killing his wife’s lawyer,” a well-informed source told IHR. 

The execution has not been announced by Iranian media or authorities so far. 

There is a lack of a classification of murder by degree in Iran which results in issuing a death sentence for any kind of murder regardless of intensity and intent.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, August 20-21, 2019


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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
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