Iran | Executions in Karaj, Nahavand, Rasht, Esfarayen

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 28, 2024: Ashkan Moradi, Jalal Haj Babay, Davoud Heidari and Ehsan Basati Valiabad were executed for drug-related offences in Karaj Penitentiary.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Karaj Penitentiary (Central Prison) on 26 November. His identity has been established as 32-year-old Ehsan Basati Valiabad who was arrested four years ago and sentenced to death for drug-related offences.

HRANA newsagency also reported the execution of three men at the prison on 25 November. Their identities have been reported as Ashkan Moradi, Jalal Haj Babay and Davoud Heidari who were on death row for drug-related charges.

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

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.”

Execution in Nahavand

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 28, 2024: Hadi Ghiasi, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Nahavand Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Nahavand Prison in Kerman province on 27 November. His identity has been established as Hadi Ghiasi.

He was arrested around 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.

Executions in Shiraz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 28, 2024: Amin Maleki, Mehdi Shirvani and Fardin Abdollahi were executed for murder and drug-related charges in Shiraz Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were executed in Shiraz (Adel Abad) Central Prison on 26 November. One of the men who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, has been identified as 34-year-old Amin Maleki from Safa Shahr in Shiraz. He was arrested four years ago and transferred to the gallows from Ward 11 of the prison.

The other two men have been identified as Mehdi Shirvani and Fardin Abdollahi. They were arrested two years ago and sentenced to death for drug-related offences in the same case. The two men were transferred from Pirbanu Prison to Shiraz Central Prison for execution.

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

Execution in Rasht

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 28, 2024: Shirali Tarkeshband, a man on death row for drug-related charges, was executed in Rasht Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man executed in Rasht (Lakan) Central Prison on 20 November. His identity has been established as 55-year-old Shirali Tarkeshband from a village in Kermanshah.

He 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 Esfarayen

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 28, 2024: Mohsen Fayazi and Omid Javdan, two Kurdish men on death row for murder, were executed in Esfarayen Prison.

According to Hengaw, two Kurdish men were executed in Esfarayen Prison in North Khorasan province on 19 November. Their identities have been reported as Mohsen Fayazi and Omid Javdan who 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, November 28, 2024

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