Iran | Executions in Hamedan, Tabria, Arak, Doroud, Ghezel Hesar

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 25, 2025: Akbar Sheikhi, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Hamedan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Hamedan Central Prison on 23 April 2025. His identity has been established as 25-year-old Akbar Sheikhi from Hamedan.

He was arrested five years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

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 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 Tabriz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 24, 2025: Mehran Zolfi and Asghan Nourinia, two men on death row for drug-related offences in separate cases, were executed in Tabriz Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Arak Central Prison on 23 April 2025. Their identities have been established as 27-year-old Mehran Zolfi from Tabriz and 35-year-old Asghar Nourinia from Jolfa.

Mehran was arrested four years ago and Asghar, three years ago. They were both sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

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

Execution in Arak

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 24, 2025: Reza Tabarteh Farahani, a man on death row for “rape by sodomy,” was executed in Arak Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Arak Central Prison on 22 April 2025. His identity has been established as Reza Tabarteh Farahani who was sentenced to death on charges of “rape by sodomy.”

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

In cases of rape, there is a high chance of defendants being tortured to make false confessions which are used to issue death sentences. Iran is one of the few countries in the world that sanctions the death penalty for rape and sexual offences.

According to the 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 22 people were executed for rape charges across 10 prisons.

Execution in Doroud

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 24, 2025: Javad Goudarzi, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Doroud Prison.

According to HRANA news agency, a man was hanged in Doroud Prison in Lorestan province on 20 April 2025. His identity has been reported as Javad Goudarzi who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

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 Yazd

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 24, 2025: Vahid Narouyi, a Baluch minority, Yarouli Mahmoudvand and Rashid Seyedzadeh were executed for drug-related offences in Yazd Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were hanged in Yazd Central Prison on 22 April 2025. Their identities have been established as Vahid Narouyi, a Baluch man from Zahedan, Yarouli Mahmoudvand from Khorramabad, and Rashid Seyedzadeh from Aligudarz.

They were all sentenced to death on drug-related charges in separate cases. Vahid and Yarouli were arrested five years ago and Rashid was arrested four years ago.

At the time of writing, none of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Five executions in Gesel Hesar

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 24, 2025: Five men including an Afghan national, two Kurdish and one Baluch minorities named Abdollah Pashtouyi, Mahmoudali Naseri, Akbar Mousavi, Amanollah Barahouyi and Salahedin Amoudi were executed for drug-related and security-related charges in Ghezel Hesar Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, five men were hanged in Ghezelhesar Prison in Alborz province on 23 April 2025. Four of the men who were on death row for drug-related offences have been identified as Kurdish minorities Mahmoudali Naseri and Akbar Mousavi from Harsin, Amanollah Barahouyi, a Baluch minority and Sallahodin Amoudi.

Amanollah was on death row for eight years, and Mahmoudali and Akbar were arrested in the same case nine years ago.

The fourth man has been identified as Abdollah Pashtouyi, an Afghan national sentenced to death on the charge of moharebeh (enmity against god) through armed robbery. He was on death row for five years.

At the time of writing, none of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, April 23-25, 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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