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U.S. | I'm a Death Row Pastor. They're Just Ordinary Folks

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In the early 1970s I was a North Carolinian, white boy from the South attending Union Theological Seminary in New York City, and working in East Harlem as part of a program. In my senior year, I visited men at the Bronx House of Detention. I had never been in a prison or jail, but people in East Harlem were dealing with these places and the police all the time. This experience truly turned my life around.

Iran | Hangings in Hamedan, Saqquez, Aligudarz, Zarand

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Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 30, 2023: Hamed Sargazi and Esmail Hajizadeh, two men sentenced to death for drug-related charges, have been executed in Hamedan Central Prison.

According to HRANA news agency, two men were executed in Hamedan Central Prison on 29 August. Their identities have been reported as Hamed Sargazi and Esmail Hajizadeh. They were arrested around three years ago and sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

At the time of writing, neither of their executions has 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.

Man executed in Saqqez


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 27, 2023: A man named Vafa Khoramani was executed for murder charges in Saqqez Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Saqqez Central Prison on 27 August. His identity has been established as Vafa Khoramani from the village of Ghaplantu who was sentenced qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

Informed sources told Iran Human Rights: “Vafa Khoramani was accused of killing someone from his village in a mechanic shop with a hunting rifle.”

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

Execution in Aligudarz


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 27, 2023: Sobhan Eftekharedin, an Afghan national, was executed for murder charges in Aligudarz Prison in Lorestan province.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, an Afghan man was executed in Aligudarz Prison in Lorestan province on 27 August. His identity has been established as 35-year-old Sobhan Eftekharedin who was sentenced qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

Informed sources told Iran Human Rights: “Sobhan Eftekharedin was arrested three and a half years ago and sentenced to qisas. His cousin was also executed for drug-related charges at the prison last year.”

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

It is important to note that Afghan nationals constitute the largest group of non-Iranian executions and death row cases in Iranian prisons. In 2021, no execution of Afghan nationals was recorded until September, when five men were executed in the space of 35 days. On 10 October 2021, Iran Human Rights expressed its concern that the Taliban takeover in August had facilitated the execution of Afghan nationals. That number more than tripled in 2022, with 16 Afghan nationals including a juvenile offender and a woman executed. At least 14 Afghans have been executed in 2023 so far, with two publicly hanged on 8 July.

Man executed in Zarand


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 27, 2023: Milad Yazdan Panah was executed for murder charges in Zarand Prison in Kerman province.

According to HRANA news agency, a man was executed in Zarand Prison in Kerman province on 26 August. His identity has been reported as 30-year-old Milad Yazdan Panah who was sentenced qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

He was arrested for an honour killing six years ago and had been kept in Zarand Prison since.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, August 27-28-30, 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
Location: Iran
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