Iran | Executions in Khorramabad, Rasht, Sari, Hamedan, Arak

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 18, 2025: Mosayeb Sagvand, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Khorramabad Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Khorramabad (Parsilion) Central Prison on 13 July 2025. His identity has been established as 36-year-old Mosayeb Sagvand from Khorramabad.

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

At the time of writing, his execution 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 six months of 2025, at least 268 people were executed for murder charges in Iran.

Group execution in Rasht

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 18, 2025: Peyman Afshari, Hadi Garousi and Mehdi Babayi, three men on death row for murder, were executed in Rasht Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were hanged in Rasht (Lakan) Central Prison on 16 July 2025. Their identities have been established as Peyman Afshari, 28-year-old Hadi Garousi and 31-year-old Mehdi Babayi. They were all sentenced to to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Peyman was arrested four years and seven months ago. Hadi and Mehdi were arrested five years ago for the honour killing of their friend.”

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

Execution in Sari

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 18, 2025: Abbas Ali Jahangiri, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Sari Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Sari Central Prison on 16 July 2025. His identity has been established as 40-year-old Abbas Ali Jahangiri from Gorgan.

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

IHRNGO previously reported the execution of Jalal Nazarbeigi, bringing the number of executions to two at the prison that day. Another prisoner was also transferred to the gallows with them but his execution was postponed for unknown reasons.

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 six months of 2025, at least 293 people were executed for drug-related offences.

Execution in Hamedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 16, 2025: Ali Mirza Bahrami, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Hamedan Central Prison. With Jalal Nazarbeigi’s previously reported execution, two people were hanged at the prison that day.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Hamedan Central Prison on 13 July 2025. His identity has been established as 32-year-old Ali Mirza Bahrami from Khorramabad.

He was arrested three 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.

Execution in Arak

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 16, 2025: Mohammad Javad Kazemi, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Arak Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Arak Central Prison on 14 July 2025. His identity has been established as Mohammad Javad Kazemi from Saveh.

He was arrested around six years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, July 16-18, 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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