Iran | Man Hanged Due to Inability to Pay Blood Money in Self-Defence Case

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 14, 2025: Mozafar Rahmanpanah, a farmer on death row for an unintentional murder, was executed in Neishabur Prison after failing to pay the 5 billion tomans ($60,500) blood money.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Neishabur Prison on 11 November 2025. His identity has been established as 26-year-old Mozafar Rahman Panah, a farmer arrested for unintentionally killing a burglar around six years ago. He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Mozafar was previously transferred to the gallows two years ago and had managed to obtain an extension. At around 9pm on the night of the murder, Mozafar, then 20, caught a burglar trying to steal his sheep. An altercation ensued in which he hit the burglar on the head with a shovel, causing brain damage and ultimately, death. He always maintained he didn’t mean to kill him.”

“The victim’s family had originally asked for 10 billion tomans which was reduced to 7 billions with the mediation of other villagers. It was again reduced by 2 billion tomans with the help of elders but his family couldn’t even afford to pay the 5 billions," the source added.

In many cases 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.

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 ten months of 2025, at least 568 people were executed for murder charges in Iran.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, November 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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