Iran | Executions in Zahedan, Ahvaz, Kermanshah, Qazvin

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 14, 2025: Ali Dehani, a Baluch man on death row for murder, was executed in Zahedan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a Baluch man was hanged in Zahedan Central Prison on 14 April 2025. His identity has been established as Ali Dehani, a conscript soldier from the village of Genk in the Sib and Soran County. He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Ali was serving as a conscripted soldier at the Kaskin outpost in Bampur County. On 6 November 2022, a week after Bloody Friday, some policemen were mocking and insulting Molana Abdolhamid (the Zahedan Friday prayer Imam). Ali got into an altercation with them in defence of Molana Abdolhamid, during which four people were killed. Yesterday, Ali's family had their final visit with him.”

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.

Execution in Ahvaz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 14, 2025: Ebrahim Memari, 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 9 April 2025. His identity has been established as Ebrahim Memari, a 36-year-old man from Abadan who worked as a freelancer prior to his arrest.

He was arrested for murder four years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) by the Criminal Court.

Ebrahim’s two brothers were previously executed for drug offences in Kermanshah Central Prison in 2009.

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

Executions in Zahedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 13, 2025: At least three Baluch minorities including Allahnazar Gorgij, Abdolsalam Baluch Moshkonti (Ahourani) and Fereydoun Mohammadi were executed for murder charges in Zahedan Central Prison.

According to Haal Vsh, three Baluch men were hanged in Zahedan Central Prison on 13 April 2025. Their identities have been reported as 40-year-old Allahnazar Gorgij from Zahak, 28-year-old Abdolsalam Baluch Moshkonti (Ahourani) from Ahouran and Fereydoun Mohammadi from Chabahar. They were all sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

An informed source is quoted as saying: “Allahnazar was arrested in Zahak seven years ago. Abdolsalam was arrested for allegedly murdering a Sepah bank security with his friend in Chabahar on 25 August 2022.”

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

Execution in Kermanshah

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 13, 2025: Pejman Bahramian, a Kurdish man on death row for murder, was executed Kermanshah Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Kermanshah (Dizel Abad) Central Prison on 16 February 2025. His identity has been established as Pejman Bahramian, a 40-year-old Kurdish man from Kermanshah.

He was arrested for murder five years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) by the Criminal Court.

Despite more than two months passing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Executions in Qazvin

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 13, 2025: Vasim Ahmad and Rabi Shahmorad, an uncle and nephew from Afghanistan, were executed for drug-related offences in Qazvin Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two Afghan nationals were hanged in Qazvin (Choobindar) Central Prison on 12 April 2025. Their identities have been established as 40-year-old Vasim Ahmad and 27-year-old Rabi Shahmorad, an uncle and his nephew from the Ghandouz province of Afghanistan who lived in Qazvin.

They were arrested for drug-related offences three years ago and sentenced to death in the same case.

At the time of writing, none 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 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 Zahedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 12, 2024: Four Baluch men named Bashir Ahmad Rigi, Davod Shahouzehi, Ramin Alizehi and Majid Lejei were hanged for drug-related offences in Zahedan Central Prison. Three other men were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions.

According to the Baloch Activists Campaign, four men were hanged in Zahedan Central Prison on 12 April 2025. Their identities have been reported as 38-year-old Bashir Ahmad Rigi, Davod Shahouzehi (Bajizehi) Ramin Alizehi (Rahmatollah Kalbali) and 36-year-old Majid Lejei who were all from Zahedan. They were sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

Ramin Alizehi was undocumented according to the report.

On 11 April, three other Baluch men were transferred to the pre-execution solitary confinement cells of the prison.

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 12-14, 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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