Iran | Two Cousins Executed in Rasht, Four Executed in Kerman, Man Executed in Jiroft

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 18, 2023: Cousins Mostafa and Farhad Vafayi who were on death row for the same murder case, have been executed in Rasht Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Rasht Central Prison on 18 May. Their identities have been established as 23-year-old Mostafa Vafayi and 54-year-old Farhad Vafayi.

They were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder in the same case.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Mostafa and Farhad Vafayi were paternal cousins and had been arrested for a murder committed in a group fight and sentenced to death.”

Iran Human Rights previously reported their transfer for execution.

At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

According to the 2022 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 582 people were executed in Iran. Of those, 288 were executed for murder charges.

Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.

4 Men Including 2 Baluch Executed in Kerman

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 18, 2023: Four men including two Baluch minorities, were executed for drug-related charges in Kerman Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, four men were executed in Kerman Central Prison on 18 May. The identities of three of the men sentenced to death for drug-related charges have been established as Hossein Poursheikh, Omid Jan Abadi and Nabiollah Zaboli. The latter two were Baluch minorities.

The fourth man’s identity has not been established at the time of writing.

According to Hal Vash which first reported the executions, they were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions on 16 May.

At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Ethnic minorities, the Baluch in particular, are grossly overrepresented in execution numbers in Iran. In 2022, at least 174 Baluch minorities including 3 women, were executed in 22 prisons across Iran, making up 30% of overall executions. This is while they represent just 2-6% of Iran’s population.

Baluch minorities also represented almost half of drug-related executions in 2022. 47.3% of the 256 people executed for drug-related charges were Baluch.

Baluch Nader Rigi Executed for Drug Charges in Jiroft

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 18, 2023: Nader Rigi, a Baluch man sentenced to death for drug-related charges, was executed in Jiroft Prison.

According to Hal Vash, a Baluch man was executed in Jiroft Prison on 18 May. His identity has been reported as Nader Rigi (Galeh Bachech) who was sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

He was transferred for execution the day prior to his execution, per the report. An informed source is quoted as saying: “Nader was arrested for drug charges in Jiroft around three years ago and sentenced to death by the city’s Revolutionary Court.”

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, May 18, 2023

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