Iran | Executions in Urmia, Qom; Woman Executed in Neyshabur

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 18, 2024: Parvin Mousavi, Ramin Lavandi, Mansour Naseri, Yousef Saeedi Chehreh, Parviz Mirghasemi and a man only identified as Mr Jabali were executed for drug-related charges in Urmia Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, at least five men and a woman were executed in Urmia Central Prison in the early hours of 18 May. Their identities have been established as 57-year-old Parvin Mousavi from Maragheh, 29-year-old Ramin Lavandi from Urmia, 45-year-old Mansour Naseri from Bukan, 30-year-old Yousef Saeedi Chehreh from Urmia, Parviz Mirghasemi from Urmia and a Tabriz native only identified as Mr Jabali.

They were all sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Courts.

Parvin Mousavi, Ramin Lavandi, Yousef Saeedi Chehreh and Parviz Ghasemi were on death row for four years, Mr Jabali for five years, and Mansour Naseri for six years.

IHRNGO previously reported the transfer of Parvin Mousavi and two men to solitary confinement.

At the time of writing, none of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Iran is the biggest executioner of women. In 2023, at least 22 women were executed for drug-related, murder and security-related charges in Iran. Parvin Mousavi is 9th woman to be executed in 2024.

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2023 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 471 people were executed for drug-related charges, an 84% increase compared to 2022 (256) and about 18 times the average of drug-related executions in 2018-2020.

On 10 April 2024, 80+ Iranian and international organisations and groups called for joint action to stop drug-related executions, urging UNODC to make “any cooperation with the Islamic Republic contingent on a complete halt on drug-related executions.”

Man hanged in Qom

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 18, 2024: Naser Atarod, a man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed Qom Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Qom Central Prison on 14 May. His identity has been established as 37-year-old Naser Atarod who was sentenced to qisas for murder.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Naser Atarod was accused of killing someone in a gym six years ago.”

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

In 2023, at least 282 people including two juvenile offenders and 15 women, were executed for murder charges, the second highest number of qisas executions since 2010. Only 20% of the recorded qisas executions were announced by official sources. In 2023, Iran Human Rights also recorded 857 cases of families choosing diya or forgiveness instead of qisas executions.

Fatemeh Abdollahi Executed in Neyshabur

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 18, 2024: Fatemeh Abdollahi, a woman sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed Neyshabur Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Neyshabur Central Prison on 18 May. Her identity has been established as 27-year-old Fatemeh Abdollahi who was sentenced to qisas for murder.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Fatemeh Nasrollahi was arrested for the murder of her husband who was also her cousin three years ago. Her maternal uncle’s family were the plaintiffs in the case and refused to forgo execution.”

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

Iran is the biggest executioner of women. In 2023, at least 22 women were executed for drug-related, murder and security-related charges in Iran. Fatemeh Abdollahi is the 10th woman to be executed in 2024.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, May 18, 2024

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