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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 Shiraz, Isfahan, Dezful, Qom, Urmia

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Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 17, 2024: Mohsen Mokhtari, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Shiraz Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Shiraz Central (Adel Abad) Prison on 16 October. His identity has been established as Mohsen Mokhtari from Shiraz who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Mohsen Mokhtar was arrested for murder five years ago. He was transferred to the gallows from Ward 10 of the prison.”

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.

Executions in Isfahan


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 17, 2024: Abbas Karimi and Mohammad Ali Najafi, two men on death row for murder, were executed in Isfahan Central Prison. Abbas Karimi had been granted an extension to raise the blood money but his family were unable to meet the deadline. IHRNGO has recorded 92 executions in the first 17 days of October.

Iran Human Rights calls for the abolition of the death penalty and the international community to react to the daily widespread executions in Iran.

IHRNGO Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said: “The Islamic Republic promotes violence, cruelty and discrimination in society through inhuman retribution laws. Abbas Karimi was executed due to his inability to pay blood money.”

“In the shadow of the threat and news of war, not only the international community and abolitionist countries but diaspora Farsi media have also remained silent about the daily execution of 5-6 people in Iran, and the Islamic Republic is using that silence to carry out even more executions,” he added.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 17 October. Their identities have been established as 36-year-old Abbas Karimi and 35-year-old Mohammad Ali Najafi. Both men were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

Abbas Karimi was on death row for nine years for an unintentional murder during a street fight. He was previously transferred to the gallows on 3 October after failing to raise the 70 billion tomans (€1,060,000) blood money but the victim’s family granted a last minute extension in the case as he was about to be executed. They agreed to accept house deeds plus 40 billion tomans. Despite all efforts and multiple fundraising efforts by Abbas Karimi’s family, they failed to raise the required amount by the set deadline.  

Abbas Karimi’s children Ali and Aileen shared Instagram account posted: “We gave them 50 billion tomans in cheques and the deeds to four properties but they still executed my dad.”

IHRNGO has also received a recording of Abbas Karimi’s last phone call prior to execution.

The Head of Judiciary sets an annual indicative amount for diya based on inflation and other considerations, but the victim’s family can choose their own amount. They can demand a lower or higher amount than the judiciary’s indicative number but crucially, no upper limit is set. The diya indicative amounts, which are determined every March, were set at 900 million tomans (€18,000) for a Muslim man and 450 million tomans (€9,000) for a Muslim woman in March 2023. The amount set by families is usually higher than the indicative amount and even the indicative amount is higher than what most families can afford. IHRNGO has recorded many cases where defendants are executed because they cannot afford to pay the blood money.

Mohammad Ali Najafi was from Shahin Shahr and a father of one. He was arrested for murder 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.

Execution in Dezful


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 17, 2024: Ramin Mohammadvand, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Dezful Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Dezful Prison in Khuzestan province on 16 October. His identity has been established as Ramin Mohammadvand from Sardasht.

He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder during a street fight by the Criminal Court, per informed IHRNGO sources.

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

Man executed in Qom


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 17, 2024: Ramin Jashlu, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Qom Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Qom (Langroud) Central Prison on 16 October. His identity has been established as 35-year-old Majid Jashlu who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Majid Jashlu was arrested for murder two years ago when he was 33 and sentenced to qisas.”

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

Execution in Urmia


Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 16, 2024: Naser Mohammadi, a Kurdish man on death row for murder, was executed in Urmia Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a Kurdish man was executed in Urmia (Darya) Central Prison on 15 October. His identity has been established as Naser Mohammadi (Hangrevani) from Nichlan village.

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

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, October 16-17, 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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