Iran | Executions in Birjand, Malayer, Dezful, Lorestan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 28, 2024: Mansour Hadadi and Esmail Shehbakhsh, two men on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Birjand Central Prison.

According to Haal Vsh, a man was executed in Birjand Central Prison on 22nd October. His identity has been reported as Mansour Hadadi from Zabol who was sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court. He was executed without his family being notified and the right to a last visit with them.

Another man was also executed at the prison on 27th October. His identity has been reported as Esmail Shehbakhshi (Rahimdad Barahouyi Zirkari), a 47-year-old Baluch man from Zahedan. He was arrested in Birjand for carrying 60 kilograms of opium on 30 May 2021 and sentenced to death in “a case full of ambiguity.”

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 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.

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.”

Execution in Malayer

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 28, 2024: Shahin Dehghani, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Malayer Prison.

According to HRANA news agency, a man was executed in Malayer Prison in Hamedan province on 22nd October. His identity has been reported as Shahin Dehghani who was sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

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

Executions in Dezful

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 28, 2024: Hassan Dorostkar and Soleiman Malekinejad, two men on death row for murder and drug-related charges, were executed in Maragheh Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Maragheh Prison in Eastern Azerbaijan province on 21st October. His identity has been established as Hassan Dorostkar who was arrested four years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

Another man was executed at the prison on 23rd October. His identity has been established as 35-year-old Soleiman Maleknejad from Shabestar who was on death row for drug-related offences for three years ago.

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

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Dezful Prison in Lorestan province on 27th October. Their identities have been established as 30-year-old Khaled Chenari (photo) and 26-year-old Abdolnabi Kalani who were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder in the same case by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Khaled Chenari and Abdolnabi Kalani were arrested in the same case three years ago. They were transferred from Ramhormoz Prison for their execution in Dezful Prison.”

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

Execution in Lorestan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 26, 2024: Abdol Nazari, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Nourabad Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Nourabad Prison in Lorestan province on 16th October. His identity has been established as 46-year-old Abdol Nazari, a father of four who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Abdol Nazari was arrested for the murder of his paternal cousin five years ago. There was a fight amongst a group over farm land and it was never established who had committed the killing but Abdol was ultimately sentenced to qisas.”

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. 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.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, October 26-28, 2024

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