Iran | Executions in Rasht, Gorgan, Yasuj, Havaz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 23, 2025: Mehdi Fathollahpour, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Rasht Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Rasht (Lakan) Central Prison on 21 April 2025. His identity has been established as 30-year-old Mehdi Fathollahpour from Abyek in Qazvin.

He was arrested three years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

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.

Execution in Gorgan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO): April 23, 2025: Hossein Bahari, a man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed in Gorgan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Gorgan Central Prison on 20 April 2025. His identity has been established as 34-year-old Hossein Bahari, a livestock farmer from a village in Gorgan.

He was arrested for murder over two 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 Yasuj

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO): April 23, 2025: Behnam Bargpush, a possible child offender, and his co-defendant, Mohammad Ahmadzadeh were executed for drug-related offences in Yasuj Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Yasuj Central Prison on 21 April 2025. Their identities have been established as 21-year-old Behnam Bargpush and 29-year-old Mohammad Ahmadzadeh who were both from the village of Gachin Bala in Bandarabbas.

They were arrested in a joint case five years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

According to informed IHRNGO sources, “Behnam Bargpush was under 18 years old at the time of arrest and held in the juvenile ward.”

IHRNGO has been unable to verify Behnam’s age through documentary evidence at the time of writing but is continuing its efforts to verify his age at the time of arrest.

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

Execution in Havaz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO): April 22, 2025: Mahan Heydari, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Ahvaz Sepidar Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Ahvaz Sepidar Prison on 21 April 2025. His identity has been established as Mahan Heydari from Masjed Soleiman.

He was arrested for murder three 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.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, April 22-23, 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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