Iran | Executions in Tabriz, Isfahan, Shiraz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 12, 2024: Mohammad Ansari Gheshlagh, Ali Mehdian and two unidentified Afghan nationals were executed for murder charges in Tabriz Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, four men were executed in Tabriz Central Prison on 12 August. The four men were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder. Two of them have been identified as 44-year-old Mohammad Ansari Gheshlagh and 32-year-old Ali Mehdian. The two others were Afghan nationals who have not been identified at the time of writing.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Mohammad Ansari Gheshlagh was from Gheshlagh village in Tabriz and was arrested for murder during a fight four years ago. He was transferred for the gallows from Ward 4 of the prison. Ali Mehdian was from Hashtroud and arrested for murder over financial issues three years ago.”

At the time of writing, their executions have 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. Crucially, while an indicative amount is set by the Judiciary every year, there is no legal limit to how much can be demanded by families of the victims. IHRNGO has recorded many cases where defendants are executed because they cannot afford to pay the blood money.

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.

Man executed in Isfahan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 12, 2024: Davoud Zahrabi, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Isfahan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 11 August. His identity has been established as 35-year-old Davoud Zahrabi from Shiraz who was sentenced to death for drug-related offences by the Revolutionary Court. He was arrested three years ago.

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

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. In the first six months of 2024, at least 147 people were executed for the charges.

Execution in Shiraz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 12, 2024: Mehdi Dehdari, a man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed in Shiraz Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Shiraz (Adel Abad) Central Prison on 11 August. His identity has been established as 30-year-old Mehdi Dehdari from Shiraz who was on death row for murder.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Mehdi Dehdari was arrested for murder two years ago. He was transferred for the gallows from Ward 10 of the prison.”

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, August 12, 2024

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"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde

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