Iran | Executions in Hamedan, Shiraz, Zanjan, Arak, Birjand, Isfahan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 14, 2025: Javad Esfandiari, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Hamedan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Hamedan Central Prison on 13 August 2025. His identity has been established as Javad Esfandiari from Malayer. He was arrested around five 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. At least 347 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first seven months of 2025.

Group hanging in Shiraz

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 13, 2025: Peyman Eghbali, Afshin Dehghan and Mehran Imani were executed for drug-related offences in Shiraz Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were hanged in Shiraz (Adel Abad) Central Prison on 12 August 2025. Their identities have been established as 37-year-old Peyman Eghbali, 40-year-old Mehran Imani and 31-year-old Afshin Dehghan.

Peyman and Mehran were both from Jahrom and arrested in a joint case four years ago. Afshin was from Shiraz and arrested five years ago. They were all sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

None of their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran at the time of writing.

Execution in Zanjan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 12, 2025: Kiumars Fatehi, 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 10 August 2025. His identity has been established as Kiumars Fatehi, a father of three from Zanjan who worked as a labourer. He 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.

Executions in Arak

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 12, 2025: Ahmadreza Tarkhashvand and an unidentified man were executed for drug-related offences in Arak Central Prison.

According to HRANA News Agency, two men were hanged in Arak Central Prison on 10 August 2025. One of their identities has been reported as Ahmadreza Tarkashvand. They were both sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

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

Execution in Birjand

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 12, 2025: Bahman Ejbari, a Baluch man on death row for drug-related offences, was secretly executed in Birjand Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Birjand Central Prison on 10 August 2025. His identity has been established as Bahman Ejbari (Shibak), a 36-year-old Baluch father of two from Zahedan. He was arrested six years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Bahman was arrested at the Sahl Abad checkpoint in Birjand for carrying Shisheh (methamphetamines) and opium around three years ago. He was executed without his family being notified and deprived of a last family visit.”

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

Group hanging in Isfahan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 12, 2025: Soudabeh Ghasemzadeh, Zaker Aramesh, Ali Mobasher and Hossein Rezaei were executed in a group hanging in Isfahan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men and a woman were executed in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 11 August 2025. The three men have been identified as Zaker Aramesh, a 27-year-old Baluch man from Sarbaz, Ali Mobasher, a 43-year-old Bakhtiari father of one from Isfahan and 45-year-old Hossein Rezaei from Isfahan. Zaker and Ali were arrested four years ago and Hossein, five years ago. They were all sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

The identity of the woman has been established as Soudabeh Ghassemzadeh, a 45-year-old mother of three from Isfahan. She was arrested for the murder of her husband six years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

None of their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran at the time of writing.

Soudabeh Ghassemzadeh is the 20th woman execution recorded in 2025. 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.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, August 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."

— Oscar Wilde

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