Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); February 1, 2024: At least one prisoner named Mehdi Azarioun who was on death row for murder, was executed in Urmia Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, at least one man was executed in Urmia Central (Darya) Prison on 31 January. His identity has been established as Mehdi Azarioun who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for the murder of her sister’s husband.
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 executions in Karaj
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); January 31, 2024: Esmail Chieh and a man only identified as Payam were executed for drug-related and murder in Karaj Penitentiary.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Karaj Penitentiary (Central Prison) on 30 January. The identity of the man sentenced to death for drug-related charges has been established as Esmail Chieh. The second man who has only been identified as Payam (surname unknown), was 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.
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.
Three executed in Birjand
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); January 29, 2024: Ruhollah Shakeri, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Birjand Central Prison. Two undocumented Baluch brothers were previously reported to have been secretly executed at the prison that day.
According to Haal Vsh, a man was executed in Birjand Central Prison on 28 January. His identity has been reported as 21-year-old Ruhollah Shakeri from the village of Bardaskan in Khorasan Razavi province.
He was arrested for committing a murder during a mass fight at a wedding in Birjand around two years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.
Two undocumented Baluch brothers named Asef and Aref Eshaghizadeh were reported to have been secretly executed for drug-related charges at the prison that day. This brings the number of people executed at Birjand Central Prison to three that day.
At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Five executions in Karaj
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); January 29, 2024: A death row prisoner named Ali Rajabian was executed in Ghezelhesar Prison, bringing the number of executions at the prison to five that day.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Ghezelhesar Prison on 29 January. His identity has been established as Ali Rajabian from Kouhdasht. He was sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.
State media had previously reported the executions of four Kurdish political prisoners named Mohsen Mazloum, Pejman Fatehi, Vafa Azarbar and Hajir Faramarzi 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, February 1, January 28-31, 2024
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