Iran | Executions in Karaj, Zanjan, Neishabur

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 19, 2023: An Afghan national and a Baluch minority were executed for drug-related charges in Karaj Ghezelhesar Prison. At least three others are at imminent risk of execution at the prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Ghezelhesar Prison on 19 December. Their identities have been established as Abdollah Zamani, an Afghan national, and 35-year-old Emsail Ijbari who were both sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

Esmail Ijbari was a Baluch minority from Sistan and Baluchistan province who lived in Khorasan Razavi province per Haal Vsh.

Informed sources told Iran Human Rights: “Three or four other prisoners are still in the death solitary confinement suites and could be executed tomorrow or next week.”

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 2-5% 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.

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.

Man executed in Zanjan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 19, 2023: Moslem Farahani who was sentenced to death for drug-related charges, has been executed in Zanjan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Zanjan Central Prison on 19 December. His identity has been established as 40-year-old Moslem Farahani from Qazvin.

Moslem was arrested for drug-related charges two years ago and sentenced to death 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 Neishabur

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 19, 2023: Ali Poursiamak who was sentenced to death for murder charges, was executed in Neishabur Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Neishabur Prison on 18 December. His identity has been established as 37-year-old Ali Poursiamak who was sentenced to qisas(retribution-in-kind) for murder.

Ali was a farmer who was arrested for murder during a fight over farmland.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, December 19-20, 2023

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