According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Urmia (Darya) Central Prison on 14 May 2025. His identity has been established as Moshir Osmanzadeh, a 51-year-old Kurdish man from Urmia.
He was arrested four years ago and 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 Miyaneh
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 14, 2025: State media reported the execution of an unnamed man for rape charges at an unspecified location in Miyaneh.
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 14, 2025: State media reported the execution of an unnamed man for rape charges at an unspecified location in Miyaneh.
According to Tasnim, a man was hanged in Miyaneh, Western Azerbaijan province on 11 May 2025. The report does not specify the man’s identity, place or date of execution. He was sentenced to death for the rape of a 10-year-old child in July 2023.
In cases of rape, there is a high chance of defendants being tortured to make false confessions, which is used to issue death sentences. Iran is one of the few countries in the world to issue the death penalty for rape charges. A lot of cases are also rushed without the defendants having access to a lawyer.
Executions in Shiraz
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 13, 2025: Mahtab Amiri, Ali Abolhosseini and Asrar Amani (Afghan national), a woman and two men on death row for separate murders, were executed in Shiraz Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Shiraz (Adel Abad) Central Prison on 5 May 2025. Their identities have been established as 32-old Ali Abolhosseini and Asrar Amani, an Afghan national.
They were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for separate murders.
An informed source told IHRNGO: “Ali Abolhosseini was from Abadan and arrested four years ago. He was a father to a six year old and was accused of killing someone during an altercation while he was working in Shiraz. Asrar Amani was arrested two years ago.”
A woman was also executed at the prison on 7 May. Her identity has been established as Mahtab Amiri from Shiraz, who was arrested for the murder of her fiancé three years ago.
At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Mahtab Amiri is the 15th woman execution recorded in 2025 and the tenth to be hanged for murder. Iran executes the highest number of women globally. In 2024, at least 31 women were executed for drug-related, murder and security-related charges in Iran, the highest number of recorded women executions in more than 15 years.
In January 2025, IHRNGO published a report titled “Women and the Death Penalty in Iran; a Gendered Perspective,” which sheds light on the contemporary experiences of women facing the death penalty, focusing on the discriminatory laws and societal factors that perpetuate their suffering.
Executions in Zahedan
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 13, 2025: Fereydoun Mohammadi and Mohammad Ali Miri, two Baluch man on death row for separate murders, were executed in Zahedan Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Zahedan Central Prison on 11 May 2025. Their identities have been established as 36-year-old Fereydoun Mohammadi and 48-year-old Mohammad Ali Miri (Mir Baluchzehi), both Baluch minorities.
They were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for separate murders.
An informed source told IHRNGO: “Fereydoun was from the village of Baghe Malek in Fanuj county in Sistan and Baluchistan province. He was a worker in ship manufacturing prior to his arrest six years ago. Mohammad Ali was arrested for a murder during a group fight five years ago.”
At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Executions in Arak
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 13, 2025: Mohammad Abdi, Nemat Pirizali and Jalil Azizi, three men on death row for separate drug-related cases, were executed in Arak Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were hanged in Arak Central Prison on 12 May 2025. Their identities have been established as Mohammad Abdi from Arak, Nemat Pirizali from Delfan and Jalil Azizi from Arak.
They were all sentenced to death on drug-related charges in separate cases.
At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
With Ashraf Shahbazi’s previously reported execution, two people were hanged at the prison that day.
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 Yasuj
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 12, 2025: Rasoul Rezayi, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Yasuj Central Prison. With Ashraf Shahbazi’s previously reported hanging, two people were executed at the prison that day.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Yasuj Central Prison on 7 May 2025. His identity has been established as Rasoul Rezayi who was arrested four 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.
With Ashraf Shahbazi’s previously reported execution, two people were hanged at the prison that day.
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.
Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, May 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."
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."
— Oscar Wilde
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