Iran | Executions in Gorgan, Qazvin, Arak, Ilam, Nahavand, Bandar Abbas

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 24, 2025: Taher Firouzi, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Gorgan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Gorgan Central Prison on 23 August 2025. His identity has been established as 31-year-old Taher Firouzi who was arrested for a murder during a street fight five years ago.

He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) by the Criminal Court.

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 seven months of 2025, at least 310 people were executed for murder charges in Iran.

Execution in Qazvin

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 24, 2025: Valiollah Jaberi, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Qazvin Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Qazvin (Choobindar) Central Prison on 20 August 2025. His identity has been established as 40-year-old Valiollah Jaberi from Qazvin.

He was arrested around four years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Criminal 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. At least 347 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first seven months of 2025.

Execution in Arak

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 21, 2025: Behzad Zeinali, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Arak Central Prison.

According to HRANA News Agency, a man was hanged in Arak Central Prison on 19 August 2025. His identity has been reported as Behzad Zeinali who was 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 Ilam

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 21, 2025: Amir Hosseinpour, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Ilam Central Prison.

According to HRANA News Agency, a man was hanged in Ilam Central Prison on 11 August 2025. His identity has been reported as Amir Hosseinpour who was on death row for drug-related offences.

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

Execution in Nahavand

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 21, 2025: Saber Akbari, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Nahavand Prison.

According to HRANA News Agency, a man was hanged in Nahavand Prison on 11 August 2025. His identity has been reported as Saber Akbari who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) by the Criminal Court.

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

Executions in Bandar Abbas

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 21, 2025: Allah Nazar Tajik, Abdolraouf Nourzehi, Abdolrahman Eshaghzehi (all Afghan nationals) and Majid Poureshagh were executed in a group hanging in Bandar Abbas Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, at least four men were hanged in Bandar Abbas Central Prison on 19 August 2025. Three of the men who were all Afghan nationals, had been on death row for drug-related offences.

Their identities have been established as 29-year-old Allah Nazar Tajik, a Farah native who lived in Nimrouz, 49-year-old Abdolraouf Nourzehi, a father of six from Nimrouz, and 51-year-old Abdolrahman Eshaghzehi, a father of seven from Farah. Allah Nazar and Abdolrahman were arrested three years ago and Abdolraouf was arrested four years ago.

The fourth man was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder. His identity has been established as Majid Poureshagh, a father of one from Bandar Abbas. He was on death row for 11 years.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, August 22-24, 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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