Iran | Executions in Kahnuj, Maku, Birjand, Shiraz, Zahedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 27, 2025: Mahmoud Shirvani, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Kahnuj Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Kahnuj Prison on 25 May 2025. His identity has been established as Mahmoud Shirvani 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. Should the victim’s family choose execution, they are not only encouraged to attend, but also to physically carry out the execution themselves.

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.

In the first four months of 2025, at least 153 people were executed for murder charges in Iran, per IHRNGO data.

Execution in Maku

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 27, 2027: Morad Dalayi-Milan, a Kurdish man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Maku Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Maku Prison on 26 May 2025. His identity has been established as Morad-Dalayi-Milan, a Kurdish father of seen from the village of Masjedlu in Chaldaron.

He was arrested for drug-related offences five years ago and sentenced to death 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. In the first four months of 2025, at least 169 people were hanged for drug-related offences.

Execution in Birjand

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 26, 2025: Hamid Shirzayi, a Baluch man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Birjand Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Birjand Central Prison on 26 May 2025. His identity has been established as Hamid Shirazayi, a 39-year-old Baluch father of ten.

He was arrested at a checkpoint in Sahlabad around six years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “On Sunday, Hamid phoned his family to let them know of his transfer to solitary confinement. However, his family didn’t know when he was to be executed until it was carried out and didn’t manage to visit him for the last time.”

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

Executions in Shiraz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 26, 2025: Mohammad Barzegari, Mohammad Zare Moveidi and Rahman Khodakarami, three men on death row for separate drug cases, were executed in Shiraz Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were hanged in Shiraz (Adel Abad) Central Prison on 25 May 2025. Their identities have been established as 28-year-old Mohammad Barzegari, 31-year-old Mohammad Zare Moveidi and 29-year-old Rahman Khodakarami.

They were sentenced to death on drug-related charges in separate cases.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Mohammad Barzegari was from Fasa and was arrested five years ago. Mohammad Zare Moveidi was from Beiza and arrested four years ago. Rahman was from Kazeroun and arrested for 110 kilograms of shisheh (methamphetamine).”

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

Execution in Zahedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 26, 2025: Zabihollah Sarani, a Baluch man on death row for murder, was executed in Zahedan Central Prison.

According to Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Zahedan Central Prison on 26 May 2025. His identity has been established as Zabihollah Sarani, a 29-year-old Baluch man from Zabol. He was arrested for a murder committed during a group fight five years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder. He was held in Taghazi Prison and transferred to Zahedan Central Prison in December 2024 after his sentence was upheld.

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

Source: iranhr.net/en/, Staff, May 26-27, 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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