Iran | Executions in Doroud, Qazvin, Rasht, Gorgan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); March 27, 2025: Ahmad Yarmohammadi, man on death row for murder, was executed in Doroud Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Doroud Prison on 12 March. His identity has been established as Ahmad Yarmohammadi from Doroud. He was arrested for murder four years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) 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.

According to IHRNGO’s 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 419 people including a juvenile offender and 19 women, were executed for murder charges, the highest number of qisas executions since 2010. Only 12% of the recorded qisas executions were announced by official sources. In 2024, Iran Human Rights also recorded 649 cases of families choosing diya or forgiveness instead of qisas executions

Executions in Qazvin

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO): March 27, 2025: Heidar Safdari and Sohrab Niazi, two men on death row for drug-related offences, were hanged in Qazvin Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Qazvin (Choobindar) Central Prison on 15 March 2025. Their identities have been established as 28-year-old Heidar Safdari from Zanjan and 30-year-old Sohrab Niazi from Qazvin. They were sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Heidar was arrested in Qazvin two years ago and Sohrab was arrested three years ago.”

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 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 503 people were executed for drug-related charges, of which only under 3% were announced by official sources. 17% of all drug-related executions in 2024 were Baluch minorities while they represent 2-6% of Iran’s population.

Executions in Rasht

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO): March 22, 2025: Faramarz Keifari and Kourosh Zare, two men on death row for drug-related offences, were hanged in Rasht Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Rasht (Lakan) Central Prison on 16 March 2025. His identity has been established as Kourosh Zare, a 36-year-old father of two who was arrested three years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

Furthermore, HRANA news agency reported the execution of another man named Faramarz Keifari at the same prison on 25 February. He was also on death row for drug-related offences.

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

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 Gorgan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); January 22, 2025: Bahram Valipour and Hossein Farhadi, two men on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Gorgan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Gorgan Central Prison on 19 January 2025. Their identities have been established as 38-year-old Bahram Valipour and 35-year-old Hossein Farhadi, a married father of one from Gorgan. They were sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Bahram was arrested two years ago. Hossein Farhadi was an orchard caretaker prior to arrest. He was arrested four years ago.”

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, March 22-27, 2025

"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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