Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 3, 2023: Rahim Ghaljayi, a Baluch man sentenced to death for drug-related charges, was secretly executed in Birjand Prison. He is the 12th Baluch man to be secretly executed for drug charges between 30 July-1 August.
According to Hal Vash, a Baluch man was secretly executed in Birjand Prison on 1 August. His identity has been reported as 46-year-old Rahim Ghaljayi, a Mashhad resident.
Rahim was arrested for drug-related charges in Birjand around two years ago and sentence to death by the Birjand Revolutionary Court. His execution was carried out without his family being notified and the right to a last visit.
He was executed along with Farhad Badrouzeh who was also executed for drug-related charges.
At the time of writing, neither of their executions have 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. At least 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.
3 Men Executed for Drug Charges in Khorramabad
Iran Human Right (IHRNGO); August 3, 2023: Mohammad Javad Akbari, Kianoush Teimouri and Sharif Akbari have been executed for drug-related charges in Khorramabad Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were executed in Khorramabad (Parsilion) Central Prison on 2 August. Their identities have been established as Mohammad Javad Akbari and Kianoush Teimouri from Kouhdasht in Lorestand and Sharif Akbari from Nourabad.
All three men were sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.
At the time of writing, none of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Execution in Arak
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 3, 2023: Ruhollah Azizi who was sentenced to death for drug-related charges, was executed in Arak Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Arak Central Prison on 1 August. His identity has been established as 35-year-old Ruhollah Azizi from Miladjerd. He was sentence to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.
At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Man Executed in Ahvaz; 61 Executions in July
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 2, 2023: Mehdi Baboli-Bahmaei, a man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed in Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz. At least 61 people including four women, 11 Baluch and five Afghan nationals were executed in July.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz on 1 August. His identity has been established as Mehdi Baboli-Bahmaei who was sentenced to qisas for murder.
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.
Journalist Farzad Seifikaran who first reported news of Mehdi’s execution told Iran Human Rights: “Not only was his execution carried out during the month of Moharram (when executions are not supposed to be carried out), but according to the documents and witnesses, he had unintentionally caused the death in a car accident.”
Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.
At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
In July 2023, at least 61 people including four women, 11 Baluch and five Afghan nationals. 32 of the 61 people were sentenced to death for drug-related charges, 19 for murder, six for rape charges and four for moharebeh (enmity against god).
Executions have increased dramatically in 2023 with at least 419 executions recorded between 1 January-31 July 2023 by Iran Human Rights. Of the 419 recorded executions, 10 were women, 85 Baluch minorities and 11 Afghan nationals. Drug-related executions have also continued to rise dramatically with at least 239 people executed for the charges in the first seven months of 2023.
Source:
Iran Human Rights, Staff, August 3-2, 2023
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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."
— Oscar Wilde
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