Iran | Executions in Sari, Gorgan, Zahedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 12, 2024: Mostafa Karami, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Sari Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Sari Central Prison on 12th October. His identity has been established as 40-year-old Mozafar Karami from Rasht.

He was arrested for drug-related offences three years ago 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.

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. Between January-9 October 2024, at least 279 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 Gorgan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 12, 2024: Iraj Moradian, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Gorgan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Gorgan Central Prison on 9th October. His identity has been established as Iraj Moradian, a man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Iraj Moradian was accused of killing his friend during an argument over finances. Under interrogations and in court, he said he had thrown an iron bar at his friend out of anger but had no intention of killing him.”

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 Zahedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 11, 2024: Mehdi Barahouyi, a Baluch man on death row for murder, was executed in Zahedan Central Prison.

According to Haal Vsh, a Baluch man was executed in Zahedan Central Prison on 9th October. His identity has been reported as Mehdi Barahouyi, a 21-year-old man from Khash.

He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for a murder he reportedly committed when he was under 18 years ago age. IHRNGO is working to verify his age at the time of offence.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, October 11-12, 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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