Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 29, 2024: Kamran Hemati, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Arak Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Arak Central Prison on 28 November. His identity has been established as Kamran Hemati from Khorramabad.
He 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.
Executions in Karaj
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.
Source:
Iran Human Rights, Staff, November 28-29, 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
