Iran Executes Three on Drug-related Charges

The Islamic Republic recently executed three individuals, including a woman, on drug-related charges amidst a surge in capital punishment in the country.

On the morning of March 25, a 36-year-old man named Abbas Aghaei, from Tabriz, faced the death penalty at Tabriz Central Prison.

His conviction stemmed from drug-related charges, as reported by the Norway-based Iran Human Rights organization.

According to a source familiar with the case, Abbas Aghaei had been arrested 28 months prior on drug charges.

However, he consistently denied ownership of the drugs, claiming they did not belong to him.

Following his father's death, Abbas became the primary caretaker of his siblings, all under the age of 15.

Despite these circumstances and his recent engagement four months before his arrest, Abbas was sentenced to death by the court.

According to the Iran Human Rights organization, the death sentence of a couple convicted in a drug-related case was also executed at Tabriz Central Prison on March 18.

The man is identified as Yasin Zulfaghari, but his wife's identity remains undisclosed.

They were arrested and sentenced to death for possession of 3 kilograms of crystal meth.

The couple, married for a year, were both top defendants in the case, leading to the execution of their sentence.

According to the Iran Human Rights organization's report, the Islamic Republic executed approximately 834 individuals last year. Of these, 471 – constituting 56 percent – were put to death for drug-related crimes.

Source: iranwire.com, Staff, March 27, 2024

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