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U.S. | 'I comfort death row inmates in their final moments - the execution room is like a house of horrors'

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Reverend Jeff Hood, 40, wants to help condemned inmates 'feel human again' and vows to continue his efforts to befriend murderers in spite of death threats against his family A reverend who has made it his mission to comfort death row inmates in their final days has revealed the '"moral torture" his endeavor entails. Reverend Dr. Jeff Hood, 40, lives with his wife and five children in Little Rock, Arkansas. But away from his normal home life, he can suddenly find himself holding the shoulder of a murderer inside an execution chamber, moments away from the end of their life. 

Iran | Executions in Shirvan, Sabzevar, Shiraz, Karaj

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Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); January 26, 2024: Moslem Aliyari, man on death row for murder, was executed in Shirvan Prison in North Khorasan province.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Shirvan Prison on 21 January. His identity has been established as 40-year-old Moslem Aliyari.

He was arrested four years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder

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.

Two hanged in Sabzevar


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); January 26, 2024: Hossein Ali Shakourian and Naser Mavadat who were sentenced to death for drug-related charges, were executed in Sabzevar Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Sabzevar Prison on 22 January. Their identities have been established as 37-year-old Hossein Ali Shakourian and 51-year-old Naser Mavadat who were sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court separately.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Hossein Ali Shakourian was a lorry driver prior to his arrest three years ago. He denied the charges many times in court and said the discovered drugs weren’t his, that someone had stashed it in his lorry without his knowledge. Naser Mavadat was from Mashhad and was arrested around five years ago. He was transferred to the prison in his home city but was returned to Sabzevar Prison for execution.”

At the time of writing, their 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.

3 executed in Shiraz


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); January 25, 2024: Fazel Shafiei and Morteza Nadimi who were sentenced to death for drug-related charges and an unidentified man on death row for murder, were executed in Shiraz prisons.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Shiraz Central Prison (Adel Abad) on 24 January. Their identities have been established as 40-year-old Fazel Shafiei and 35-year-old Morteza Nadimi who were sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court separately.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Fazel Shafiei and Morteza Nadimi were transferred from Ward 11 of Adel Abad Prison for execution. Fazel was arrested four years ago and Morteza two years ago.”

An unidentified man was also executed at Pirbanu Prison in Shiraz that day. He was arrested five years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Ahmad Asgarat Executed with Mohammad Ghobadlu and Farhad Salimi


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); January 24, 2024: Ahmad Asgarat, a man on death row for murder, was executed with political prisoners Mohammad Ghobadlu and Farhad Salimi in Ghezelhesar Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, another man was executed in Ghezelhesar Prison in Karaj on 23 January. His identity has been established as Ahmad Asgarat who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Mohammad Asgarat was accused of helping a woman he was with to kill her husband.”

The executions of political prisoners Farhad Salimi and Mohammad Ghobadlu were previously reported at the prison that day.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, January 24-26, 2024

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