Iran | Executions in Jiroft, Hamedan, Kermanshah, Isfahan, Tabriz, Gonbad Kavous

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 25, 2024: Nader Ghanizadeh and Naser Salmani were executed for murder and drug-related charges in Jiroft Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Jiroft Prison on 23 November. Their identities have been established as Nader Ghanizadeh and Naser Salmani who was 62 years old.

Nader was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder and Naser was on death row for drug-related offences.

According to the Baluch Activists Campaign which first reported news of the executions, 58 murder and drug death row prisoners are currently at risk of execution in Jiroft Prison.

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.”

Executions in Hamedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 25, 2024: Meisam Nouri, a Kurdish man, and Arsalan Habibi were executed for drug-related offences in Hamedan Central Prison. Another man’s execution was reported at the prison that day, raising the total number to two.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Hamedan Central Prison on 21 November. Their identities have been established as Meisam Nouri, a 42-year-old Kurdish man from Qorveh and and Arsalan Habibi from Khomein who were sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Courts in separate cases.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Meisam was arrested three years ago. He had been shot and injured by security forces during his arrest and was transferred to Hamedan Prison after recovering. Arsalan was arrested on the Arak-Qom motorway three years ago.”

IHRNGO previously reported the execution of Amirhossein Rostami Pataghi, which brings the total number of executions at the prison to three that day.

At the time of writing, none of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Execution in Kermanshah

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 25, 2024: Mostafa Souri, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Kermanshah Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Kermanshah (Dizel Abad) Central Prison on 20 November. His identity has been established as Mostafa Souri from Kangavar who was 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.

Execution in Isfahan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 24, 2024: Kazem Heidari, a man on death row for drug-related charges, was executed in Isfahan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man executed in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 20 November. His identity has been established as 34-year-old Kazem Heidari who was arrested four years ago and sentenced to death for drug-related offences by the Revolutionary Court.

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

Executions in Tabriz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 23, 2024: Majid Talebian and Morteza Daneshvand, two men on death row for drug-related charges, were executed in Tabriz Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Tabriz Central Prison on 20 November. Their identities have been established as 43-year-old Majid Talebian from Abhar who was a father of one, and 32-year-old Morteza Daneshvand from Tabriz.

They were arrested three years ago and sentenced to death for drug-related offences by the Revolutionary Court.

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

Executions in Gonbad Kavous

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 22, 2024: Safa Hosseini and Soleiman Vaziri, a Baluch man, were executed for murder charges in Gonbad Kavous Prison without last family visits.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Gonbad Kavous Prison on 19 November. Their identities have been established as Safa Hosseini from Gorgan and Soleiman Vaziri, a 30-year-old Baluch man from Zabol.

They were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court in separate cases. They were deprived of the right to last family visits.

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

Execution in Hamedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 22, 2024: Kianush Keifari, a man on death row for drug-related charges for 12 years, was executed in Rasht Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man executed in Rasht (Lakan) Central Prison on 19 November. His identity has been established as 49-year-old Kianush Keifari from Anzali.

He was arrested for drug-related offences 12 years ago and sentenced to death for drug-related offences by the Revolutionary Court four years ago.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, November 22-25, 2024

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