Iran | Executions in Yasuj, Arak, Kashan, Qom, Isfahan, Dezful

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 13, 2025: Mohammadreza Akhbari, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Yasuj Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Yasuj Central Prison on 11 October 2025. His identity has been established as Mohammadreza Akhbari 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.

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 517 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first nine months of 2025.

Executions in Arak

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 13, 2025: Hassan Sohrabi and Behzad Moridan, two men on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Arak Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Arak Central Prison on 11 October 2025. Their identities have been established as Hassan Sohrabi and Behzad Moridan who were sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

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

Execution in Kashan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 13, 2025: Esmail Roshani, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Kashan Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Kashan Prison on 11 October 2025. His identity has been established as Esmail Roshani 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.

Group hanging in Qom

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 13, 2025: Jafar Reghbati, Farzad Javanmiri and Behnam Saberi, three men on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Qom Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were hanged in Qom Central Prison on 7 October 2025. Their identities have been established as Jafar Reghbati from Karaj, Farzad Javanmiri from Qom and 28-year-old Behnam Saberi from Pakdasht in Tehran.

Jafar and Behnam were arrested three years ago and Farzad, five years ago. They were 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.

Three executed in Isfahan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 13, 2025: Younes Mardani and Farhad Faraji, two cousins on death row for the same murder and Massoud Maleki, a Baluch man on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Isfahan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 30 September 2025. Their identities have been established as 25-year-old Younes Mardani and 27-year-old Farhad Faraji, two cousins from Shahin Shahr in Isfahan. They were arrested for the honour killing of a bus assistant around four years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Younes was taking psychiatric medication for the past two years and had attempted to commit suicide twice.”

On 8 October, another man was hanged at the prison. His identity has been established as Massoud Maleki, a 32-year-old Baluch man from Zahedan and resided in Isfahan’s Shahreza. He was arrested around eight years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

At the time of writing, their executions have 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 nine months of 2025, at least 457 people were executed for murder charges in Iran.

Execution in Dezful

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 12, 2025: Sadi Khalifeh, an Ahvazi Arab man on death row for murder, was executed in Dezful Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Dezful Prison, Khuzestan province, on 12 October 2025. His identity has been established as Sadi Khalifeh, a 36-year-old Ahvazi Arab from Dezful.

He was arrested seven years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, October 12-13, 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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