Iran | Executions in Saravan, Isfahan, Shiraz, Zahedan, Zanjan, Gorgan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 13, 2023: Amin Barakzehi, a Baluch man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed in Saravan Prison.

According to Haal Vsh, a man was executed in Saravan Prison on 11 November. His identity has been reported as 40-year-old Amin Barakzehi (Nourzehi) who was sentenced to qisas for murder.

He was arrested for murder in Saravan around five years ago.

At the time of writing, his execution has 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, at least 274 Baluch people have been executed for drug-related charges since 2021, 40% of all drug executions in that time period.

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

Unidentified Man Executed in Isfahan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 12, 2023: A man only identified as Alireza was executed for murder charges in Isfahan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Isfahan Central Prison (Dastgerd) on 12 November. His identity has only been established as Alireza (surname unknown) who had spent around four years on death row. He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

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

Two executed in Shiraz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 12, 2023: Vahid Salemi and Behrouz Dinarbar 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 12 November. Their identities have been established as 35-year-old Vahid Salemi from Sadra (Fars province) and 50-year-old Behrouz Dinarbar from Kahnuj (Kerman province) who were both sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court. Behrouz had been on death row for around six years and Vahid for around three years. They had their last family visits the day prior to their executions.

At the time of writing, the two men’s executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year for the past three years. At least 305 people were executed for drug-related charges between 1 January-10 October 2023, a 69% increase compared to the same period in 2022, and the number of drug-related executions in 2023 were close to 20 times higher than 2020.

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. On 13 September 2023, IHRNGO reported a 94% rise in the number of drug-related executions in the year following the start of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement in September 2022.

Two executed in Zahedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 11, 2023: Afghan national, Reza Arbabzehi and Abdolhagh Gomshadzehi, a Baluch minority, were executed for murder charges in Zahedan Central Prison. Meisam Chandani was previously reported to have been executed at the prison that day.

According to Haal Vsh, two men were executed in Zahedan Central Prison on 11 November. Their identities have been reported as Abdolhagh Gomshadzehi, a 33-year-old Baluch man and Reza Arbabzehi, a 23-year-old Afghan national.

Reza was arrested around three years ago and Abdolhagh around two years ago. They were both sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

Meisam Chandani, a Baluch man sentenced to death for charges of moharebeh (enmity against god), was previously reported to have been executed at the prison that day.

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 7 Afghans have been executed in 2023 so far, with two publicly hanged on 8 July.

Man executed in Zanjan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 11, 2023: Hojat Gharebiglu, a 62-year-old man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed in Zanjan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Zanjan Central Prison on 9 November. His identity has been established as 62-year-old Hojat Gharebiglu who was sentenced to qisas for murder.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Hojat Gharebiglu was from Ardabil but lived in Tabriz. He worked on a cattle farm with his son prior to arrest. His son fell in love with a girl in the village and because her family didn’t approve, they ran away together. The girl’s two brothers attacked Hojat in retaliation and he shot them with a rifle, causing one of their deaths.”

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

Baluch Meisam Chandani Executed in Zahedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 11, 2023: Meisam Chandani, a Baluch man who spent 12 years on death row for moharebeh (enmity against god) charges, was executed in Zahedan Central Prison despite suffering from acute mental illness due to year-long torture to extract forced confessions.

According to Haal Vsh, a Baluch man was executed in Zahedan Central Prison on 11 November. His identity has been reported as Meisam Chandani (Dehghani) who was sentenced to death for charges of moharebeh through armed action, membership in opposition groups (Jondollah) and action against national security.

He was arrested on 28 August 2011. Informed sources said: “Meisam endured a year of physical and psychological torture in the Intelligence’s detention centre in Zahedan. They used the “miracle bed” (prisoners are tied to a metal bed and lashed with a fan belts until they confess) and flogging and beating him with cables and plastic pipes. It caused him severe mental illness and memory loss, he’d lost his mental balance.”

Meisam Chandani was transferred from the Security Ward (9) of the prison for execution. There is no news about the fate of a murder death row prisoner transferred with Meisam.

Tasnim news agency has reported his execution without naming him. According to their report, the defendant was arrested for the murder of three policemen in 2011.

Execution in Gorgan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 10, 2023: Shahram Ali Abbasi, a man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed in Gorgan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Gorgan Central Prison on 8 November. His identity has been established as 38-year-old Shahram Ali Abbasi from Langroud.

Per IHRNGO sources, he was arrested for murder charges and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind).

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, November 10-13, 2023

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Florida executes Michael Tanzi

Florida on Tuesday executed a death row inmate described by one local detective as a "fledgling serial killer" for the murder of a beloved Miami Herald employee. Florida executed Michael Tanzi on Tuesday, 25 years after the murder of beloved Miami Herald employee Janet Acosta, who was attacked in broad daylight on her lunch break in 2000. Michael Tanzi, 48, was executed by lethal injection at the Florida State Prison in Raiford and pronounced dead at 6:12 p.m. ET.

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