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Singapore | Inside the prison that executes people for supplying cannabis

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Singapore CNN  — Though he is provided with a straw mat, Matthew says he prefers to sleep on the concrete floor of his cell in the maximum-security wing of Singapore’s Changi Prison. “It’s more cooling that way,” says the 41-year-old former schoolteacher, who was sentenced to more than seven years in prison and seven strokes of the cane for selling methamphetamine. CNN met Matthew, who spoke on condition that his last name be withheld, during an exclusive tour of Changi Prison provided by Singapore authorities as they defended the city-state’s uncompromising position on drugs.

Iran | Executions in Kahnuj, Shahre Kord, Tabriz, Zanjan, Qazvin, Birjand

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Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 19, 2024: Mahmoud Bameri, a Baluch man who was sentenced to death for both murder and moharebeh charges, was secretly executed for the latter in Kahnuj Prison after paying blood money in the murder case.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a Baluch man was secretly executed in Kahnuj Prison on 17 October. His identity has been established as 45-year-old Mahmoud Bameri (Sabaki) who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court and moharebeh (enmity against god) by the Revolutionary Court for allegedly killing a policeman.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Mahmoud Bameri was accused of killing a policeman six years ago. The policeman’s family had accepted and received diya in the qisas case to forgo execution but Mahmoud was executed for the moharebeh charges.”

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.

Execution in Shahre Kord


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 19, 2024: Reza Karimi Zarasavand, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Shahre Kord Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Shahre Kord (Farokhshahr) Central Prison in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province on 16th October. His identity has been established as Reza Karimi Zarasavand from Chogharkhor village near Farokhshahr.

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

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

Two executed in Tabriz


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 19, 2024: Ali Najari and Ali Asghar Kujavari, two men on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Tabriz Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Tabriz Central Prison on 13 October. Their identities have been established as 35-year-old Ali Najari and Ali Asghar Kujavari who were sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court in separate cases.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Ali Najari was from Aghbalagh village in Zanjan and arrested around three years ago. Ali Asghar was also from Zanjan and arrested two years ago.”

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.”

Two executed in Zanjan


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 19, 2024: Yousef Shirvani and Jafar Sameie, two men on death row for murder and rape, were executed in Zanjan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Zanjan Central Prison on 16 October. Their identities have been established as 37-year-old Yousef Shirvani from Takestan in Qazin and Jafar Sameie from Hashtroud.

Yousef Shirvani was arrested three years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder. Jafar Sameie was arrested three years ago and sentenced to death for rape charges.

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

Execution in Qazvin


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 20, 2024: Nourmorad Geravand, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Qazvin Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Qazvin (Choobindar) Central Prison on 17 October. His identity has been established as 30-year-old Nourmorad Geravand from Kouhdasht.

He was arrested on the Qazvin motorway four years ago and 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.

Man executed in Birjand despite suicide attempt


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 21, 2024: Bahman Sheikh Hosseini, a Baluch man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed Birjand Central Prison despite attempting to commit suicide.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Birjand Central Prison 20 October. His identity has been established as Bahman Sheikh Hosseini, a 32-year-old Baluch father of three from the Sheikh Hosseini tribe. He was arrested in Birjand four years ago and sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Bahman had attempted to commit suicide prior to his execution but the sentence was carried out without any regard.”

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, October 19-21, 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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