Iran | Executions in Zanjan, Aligudarz, Gorgan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 19, 2025: Davoud Amani, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Zanjan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Zanjan Central Prison on 19 July 2025. His identity has been established as Davoud Amani from Zanjan.

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

Executions in Gorgan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 19, 2025: Yaghoub Moradi, Alireza Oshtorak, Mohammad Oshtorak and an unidentified man were executed for rape and drug-related charges in Gorgan Central Prison on Tuesday and Saturday.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Gorgan (Amir Abad) Central Prison on 15 July 2025. His identity has been established as Yaghoub Moradi, a 41-year-old father of one from Gorgan. He was arrested around three years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

On 19 July, the judiciary’s Mizan News Agency reported the group hanging of three men for rape charges at the prison. The report does not name the defendants or any details of their cases.

IHRNGO has established the identities of two of the men as Alireza and Mohammad Oshtorak, two Baluch relatives. The third man has not been identified at the time of writing.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Alireza and Mohammad were two young Baluch men transferred to the solitary confinement cells of Amir Abad prison yesterday, and executed this morning. They were accused of rape and kidnapping, which they and their families denied.”

At the time of writing, Yaghoub Moradi’s execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

In cases of rape, there is a high chance of defendants being tortured to make false confessions, which is used to issue death sentences. In Iran is one of the few countries in the world that issues the death penalty for rape. A lot of cases are also rushed without the defendants having access to a lawyer.

According to the 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 22 people were executed for rape charges across 10 prisons. At least 19 men were hanged for rape charges in the first six months of 2025.

Execution in Aligudarz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); July 19, 2025: Parviz Sarlak, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Aligudarz Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Aligudarz Prison, Lorestan province, on 19 July 2025. His identity has been established as 30-year-old Parviz Sarlak.

He was arrested four 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.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, July 19, 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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