Iran | Executions in Mahvelat, Ahvaz, Karaj; Man whipped 80 times for “alcohol consumption”

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 24, 2023: State media have reported the execution of an unnamed man for murder in Mahvelat county prison.

According to ILNA, a man was executed in Mahvelat county prison in Khorasan Razavi province on 23 August. The unnamed 29-year-old man was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

He had reportedly committed the alleged murder in February/March 2020 and sentenced to qisas by the Khorasan Razavi criminal court in less than three months.

The victim’s family were present at the hanging.

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, as the plaintiffs, are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.

Man Executed in Ahvaz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 23, 2023: Yazdan Varehzardi was executed for murder charges in Ahvaz Sepidar Prison. Another man’s execution was previously reported at the prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Ahvaz Sepidar Prison on 21 August. His identity has been established as 30-year-old Yazdan Varehzardi from the Delfan tribe in Khorramabad. He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Yazdan Varehzardi was arrested for murder charges in Ahvaz six years ago and transferred to Khorramabad Central Prison sometime later. He was recently transferred from Khorramabad prison to Sepidar Prison and his execution carried out on Monday.”

Iran Human Rights previously reported the execution of Abdolreza Ghalavand for drug-related charges at the prison that day. Yazdan’s execution brings the number of executions at the prison that day to two.

On the same day, an unidentified prisoner was also whipped 80 times for “alcohol consumption” at the prison.

At the time of writing, neither execution has been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Three hanged in Karaj

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 23, 2023: Kiumars Rezaei, Rahman Ebrahimi and Behrouz Rahmani have been executed for drug-related charges in Qezel Hesar Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were executed in Qezel Hesar Prison in Karaj on 23 August 2023. Their identities have been established as Kiumars Rezaei, Rahman Ebrahimi and Behrouz Rahmani. They were all sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Kiumars Rezaei and Rahman Ebrahimi who were both from Kouhdasht, had been arrested in a joint case ten years ago and sentenced to death. Behrouz Rahmani was from Tehran and was arrested around two years ago.”

At the time of writing, none of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

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.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, August 23-24, 2023

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