Iran | Executions in Jiroft, Karaj, Ilam

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 14, 2023: Three men including a Baluch minority were executed for murder and drug-related charges in Jiroft Prison.

According to Hal Vash, three men were executed in Jiroft Prison on 13 July. One of the men’s identities has been reported as Rashid Dahmardeh, a 50-year-old Baluch man sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

The two other men who were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, have been named as 33-year-old Saman Salari and 35-year-old Mehdi Shariati, both Jiroft natives.

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. Furthermore, in the first six months of 2023, 20% of the at least 354 executions were Baluch people.

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.

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year for the past three years. 206 people were executed for drug-related charges in the first six months of 2023, a 126% rise compared to the same period in 2022 when 91 were executed. 40 people were executed in the same period in 2021.

The number of drug executions dramatically dropped in 2018 following a 2017 Amendment to the Anti-Narcotics Laws. Consequently, drug executions ranged between 24-30 per annum between 2018-2020. The Amendment was reversed in practice in 2021 when executions increased ten-fold to 126 in 2021 and doubled again in 2022 with 256 drug-related executions.

At Least 2 Unidentified Men Executed in Karaj

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 14, 2023: At least two men were executed for murder charges along with Fatemeh Yousef Abadi in Rajai Shahr Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, at least wo men were executed in Rajai Shahr (Gohardasht) Prison on 12 July. The two men whose identities have not been established at the time of writing were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

Woman prisoner Fatemeh Yousef Abadi was also executed for murder charges at the prison that day, increasing the number of executions to three that day.

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

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.

Man Executed in Ilam

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 13, 2023: Hossein Ali Zarouni, a man sentenced to death for murder charges, was executed in Ilam Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Ilam Central Prison on 12 July. His identity has been established as Hossein Ali Zarouni from Kouhdasht. He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Hossein Ali Zarouni was a bank worker prior to arrest. He was sentenced to for the murder of his sister’s husband and also killing two policemen at the Gavmish bridge checkpoint while he was escaping.”

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, July 14-13, 2023

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