According to HRANA news agency, a man was executed in Yasuj Central Prison on 9 August 2023. His identity has been reported as Asadollah Arjmand who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.
He is reported to have been on death row in Yasuj Prison for 14 years.
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.
Two Secretly Executed in Mashhad
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 10, 2023: Hamid Barahouyi and Ahmad Narouyi, two Baluch men sentenced to death for drug-related charges, were secretly executed in Mashhad Central Prison.
According to Hal Vash, two Baluch men were secretly executed in Mashhad Central Prison (Vakil Abad) on 10 August. Their identities have been reported as 45-year-old Hamid Barahouyi (Barichi) and 44-year-old Ahmad Narouyi who were sentenced to death for drug-related charges in the same case.
Hamid was a father of five from Margan village in Hirmand and Ahmad was a father of two from Zahak.
An informed source told Hal Vash: “Hamid and Ahmad were arrested in Mashhad around two years ago for drug-related charges and sentenced to death by the Mashhad Revolutionary Court. They were transferred for execution on 9 August and executed on 10 August without their families being notified and last visits.”
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.
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
Three Men Executed for Drug Charges in Karaj
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 10, 2023: Amir Jahangiri, Javad Bazgir and an unidentified man were executed for drug-related charges in Karaj Penitentiary.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were executed in Karaj Penitentiary on 6 August. Two of the men have been identified as Amir Jahangiri and Javad Bazgir. The third man’s identity has not been established at the time of writing.
All three prisoners were sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.
At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Two Executed in Hamedan
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 9, 2023: Ahad Hashemi and Manouchehr Khazayi were executed for drug-related charges in Hamedan Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Hamedan Central Prison on 9 August. Their identities have been established as Ahad Hashemi and Manouchehr Khazayi who were sentenced to death for drug-related in separate cases by the Revolutionary Court.
Another prisoner named Javad Amjadian who is also on death row for drug-related charges and transferred to the gallows with the two executed men, was returned to his cell for unknown reasons.
Iran Human Rights previously reported Ahad Hashemi’s transfer for execution.
An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Ahad Hashemi was arrested for 10 kilograms of heroin and sentenced to death.”
At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Two Executed in Shiraz
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 9, 2023: Hossein Nasirian and Hassan Ali Shakib were executed for drug-related charges in Shiraz Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Shiraz Central Prison on 8 August. Their identities have been established as 40-year-old Hossein Nasirian from Kazeroun and Hassan Ali Shakib from Arsanjan who were sentenced to death for drug-related by the Revolutionary Court.
An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Hossein Nasirian was arrested around three years ago and sentenced to death. He was a caretaker at a factory prior to arrest. Hassan Ali Shakib was arrested for carrying 85 kilograms of methamphetamine around two years ago.”
Another prisoner was transferred for execution along with the two men but was returned to his cell after obtaining an extension in his murder case.
At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Five Men Executed for Rape Charges in Marand
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 9, 2023: State media have reported the execution of five unnamed men for rape charges in Marand Prison.
According to the judiciary’s Mizan news ageny, five men were executed in Marand Prison on 9 August. The unnamed men were all sentenced to death for rape charges by the East Azerbaijan Criminal Court.
The men were arrested on charges of raping a woman on 21 May 2022.
In cases of rape, there is a high chance of defendants being tortured to make false confessions, which is used to issue death sentences. In Iran is one of the few countries in the world that issues the death penalty for rape. A lot of cases are also rushed without the defendants having access to a lawyer.
According to the 2022 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 23 people were executed for rape charges in 2022 compared to 10 in 2021 and 12 in 2020.
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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
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."
— Oscar Wilde