Iran | Executions in Rasht, Mahabad, Karaj, Nahavand, Roudbar

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 20, 2024: Mojtaba Jamshidian and Jebrael Naseri were executed for drug-related offences in Rasht Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Rasht (Lakan) Central Prison on 14 December. His identity has been established as Mojtaba Jamshidian from Khomein. He was sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

Another man was also executed for drug-related offences at the prison on 18 December. His identity has been established as Jebrael Naseri a 30-year-old father of one from Mashhad. He was arrested three years and seven months ago.

At the time of writing, neither of their executions have 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.”

Two executed in Mahabad

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 19, 2024: Rahim Barin and Jamal Naboureh, two Kurdish men on death row for murder, were executed in Mahabad Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two Kurdish men were executed in Mahabad Prison on 18 November. Their identities have been established as Rahim Barin and Jamal Naboureh, both from Mahabad.

Rahim was arrested nine years ago and Jamal two years ago. They 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.

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.

Group Hanging of at Least 6 Men Including Afghan National in Karaj

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 19, 2024: Abdolbari Pakouhi, an Afghan national, Hassan Ali Yousefi, Majid Jamshidi, Sohrab Amirpour and two unidentified men were executed for drug-related, murder and efsad-fil-arz (corruption on earth) in Ghezelhesar Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, at least six men were executed in a group hanging in Ghezelhesar Prison on 18 November. Four of the men were sentenced to death for drug-related offences. Their identities have been established as Abdolbari Pakouhi, an Afghan national, Hassan Ali Yousefi, Majid Jamshidi and Sohrab Amirpour.

The fifth man who has been identified as Farzad Norouzikhah, was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

According to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency, the sixth man was sentenced to the vaguely defined charges of efsad-fil-arz “through terrorising and injuring women in different areas of Tehran.” His identity has been reported as Rastgouyi Kondlaj.

At the time of writing, only Rastgouyi Kondlaj’s execution has been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Execution in Nahavand

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 18, 2024: Ali Morad Dehghani, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Nahavand Prison.

According to HRANA, a man was executed in Nahavand Prison in Hamedan province on 15 December. His identity has been reported as Ali Morad Dehghani 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.

Two executed in Roudbar

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 18, 2024: Hamed Basirat and Ali Akbar Gharib Sarduiyee, two men on death row for murder, were executed in Roudbar Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Roudbar Prison in Gilan province on 9 December. His identity has been established as Hamed Basirat from Roudbar who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

Another man was executed at the prison on 14 December. His identity has been established as Ali Akbar Gharib Sarduiyee from Roudbar who was also on death row for murder.

At the time of writing, neither of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, December 18-20, 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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