Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 30, 2024: Ahmad Shehbakhsh, a Baluch man on death row for murder, was executed in Zahedan Central Prison.
According to Haal Vsh, a Baluch man was executed in Zahedan Central Prison on 30 November. His identity has been reported as 33-year-old Ahmad Shehbakhsh (Khaneshini) who was arrested in Zahedan around five years ago.
He was sentenced to
qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Zahedan 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.
Woman executed in Mashhad
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 30, 2024: Alireza Nourian, a Kurdish man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Mashhad Central Prison.
According to Hengaw, a Kurdish man was executed in Mashhad (Vakil Abad) Central Prison on 25 November. His identity has been reported as 42-year-old Alireza Nourian from Asfarayen who was arrested three years ago.
He was sentenced to death for drug-related offences by the Revolutionary Court and his execution was carried out without his family being notified.
At the time of writing, his execution has 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 Yazd
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 30, 2024: Davoud Mohammadi Takhtshah and Osman Dahmardeh, two Baluch men on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Yazd Central Prison.
According to Haal Vsh, two Baluch men were executed in Yazd Central Prison on 28 November. Their identities have been reported as Davoud Mohammadi Takhtshah and Osman Dahmardeh who were arrested on the Yazd-Ardakan road around five years ago.
They were sentenced to death for drug-related offences by the Yazd Revolutionary Court.
At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Source:
Iran Human Rights, Staff, December 30, 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
