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After acquittal of ex-death row inmate, debate needed on Japan's death penalty

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Japan should be ensuring the safety of its citizens, but instead it is taking people's lives. Is it acceptable to maintain the ultimate penalty under such circumstances? This is a serious question for society. The acquittal of 88-year-old Iwao Hakamada, who had been handed the death penalty, has been finalized after prosecutors decided not to appeal the verdict issued by the Shizuoka District Court during his retrial.

Iran | Executions in Gonbad Kavous, Bam, Torbat Heidarieh, Ahar, Birjand, Ahvaz Sepidar, Gorgan, Isfahan, Zanjan, Ilam

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Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2024: Ghafar Hivechi, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Gonbad Kavous Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Gonbad Kavous Prison in Golestan province on 1st October. His identity has been established as 35-year-old Ghafar Hivechi from the Doughman Turkman tribe.

He was arrested four years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

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.

Man executed in Bam


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2024: Habibollah Mohammadzehi, a Baluch man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Bam Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a Baluch man was executed in Bam Prison on 6 October. His identity has been established as 45-year-old Habibollah Mohammadzehi from Mirjaveh. He was sentenced to death for drug-related offences by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Habibollah Mohammadzehi was arrested for drug offences three years ago. He was transferred to solitary confinement on the afternoon of 4 October. Prison officials refused to allow him a last visit with his family prior to execution.

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.

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  executed in Torbat Heidarieh


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2024: State media reported the execution of an unnamed man for murder in Torbat Heidarieh Prison.

According to the IRGC-affiliated Fars news agency, a man was executed in Torbat Heidarieh Prison in Khorasan Razavi province on 3 October. The unnamed man was accused of murdering a 53-year-old man eight years ago.

He was arrested four years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

Execution in Ahar


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2024: Akhtar Ghorbanlu, a child bride on death row for murder, was executed in Ahar Prison

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a woman was executed in Ahar Prison in East Azerbaijan province on 1st October. Her identity has been established as Akhtar Ghorbanlu who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Akhtar Ghorbanlu was forced to marry a rich man who was 18 years her senior when she was 17 years old by her family. She didn’t want to marry him but they forced her. She was accused of killing him with pills.”

At the time of writing, her 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. Akhtar Ghorbanlu is 18th woman to be executed in 2024.

Execution in Birjand


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2024: Mojtaba Zaferani, a young man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Birjand Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Birjand Central Prison on 29 September. His identity has been established as 21-year-old Mojtaba Zaverani from Kashmer.

He was arrested for carrying heroine when he was 19 years old and sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

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

Execution in Ahvaz Sepidar


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2024: Ayat Abdolfathi, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Ahvaz Sepidar Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Ahvaz Sepidar Prison on 2 October. His identity has been established as 52-year-old Ayat Abdolfathi from Karoun who was an estate agent prior to arrest and a father to four children.

He was arrested for drug-related offences three years ago and sentenced to death by the Criminal Court.

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

Two executed in Gorgan


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2024: Hamed Hariri and Reza Soleimanzadeh were executed for charges of murder and rape in Gorgan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Gorgan Central Prison on 3rd October. Their identities have been established as 35-year-old Hamed Hariri and 29-year-old Reza Soleimanzadeh.

 According to informed sources, Reza was arrested for an honour killing three years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

Hamed Hariri was arrested for raping and murdering a girl and sentenced to death for both charges. It appears he was executed for the rape charges.

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

Execution in Isfahan


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 6, 2024: Tayeb Mansouri, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Isfahan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 3rd October. His identity has been established as Tayeb Mansour who was sentenced to qisas(retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Tayeb Mansouri was arrested for the murder of his friend over financial issues three years ago. His friend owed him 9 million tomans which he’d asked for a few times. The last time, the got into an arguments which turned physical Tayed had pushed the victim who hit his head on the wall which caused him to sustain a brain injury and die.”

“Tayeb didn’t intend to kill the victim and denied the intentional killing charges from the beginning and the court ruled against him. His family were ready to pay diya but the victim’s family wanted qisas and refused to accept diya,” the source added.

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

Executions in Zanjan


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 5, 2024: Mostafa Kavandi and Ali Bahrami, two co-defendants in the same drug-related case, were executed in Zanjan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Zanjan Central Prison on 1st October. Their identities have been established as 39-year-old Mostafa Kavandi and 36-year-old Ali Bahrami who were sentenced to death for drug-related in the same drug case by the Revolutionary Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Mostafa Kavandi and Ali Bahrami were arrested for carrying 110 kg of narcotics. Mostafa was a father of one and worked as chiseller prior to arrest.”

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


Two executed in Ilam


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 4, 2024: Nima Farahmand and Nosratollah Montani, two Kurdish men and Mehdi Khorasan, an Arab man, were executed for murder charges in Ilam Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were executed in Ilam Central Prison on 1st October. Their identities have been established as Nima Farahmand (Pishgar), a 24-year-old Kurdish man from Ilam, Nosratollah Montani, another Kurdish man from Ilam and Mehdi Khorasan, an Arab man from Dasht Abbas in Ilam.

They were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, October 6-4, 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



Location: Iran
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