Iran | Executions in Gorgan, Doroud, Khorramabad, Qom, Semnan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 15, 2025: Mohammad Rahimi, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Gorgan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Gorgan Central Prison on 14 December 2025. His identity has been established as 50-year-old Mohammad Rahimi. He was arrested two years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges in separate cases 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 697 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first eleven months of 2025.

Execution in Doroud

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 14, 2025: Salim Afrashteh, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Doroud Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Doroud Prison on 9 December 2025. His identity has been established as 33-year-old Salim Afrashteh. He was arrested around four 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.

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. At least 641 people were executed for murder charges in the first eleven months of 2025.

Executions in Khorramabad

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 14, 2025: Hossein Ali Koulivand and Morad Jafari, two men on death row for separate murders, were executed in Khorramabad Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Khorramabad Central Prison on 13 December 2025. Their identities have been established as Hossein Ali Koulivand, a 51-year-old father of three, and Morad Jafari from Aligudarz. They were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Hossein Ali was arrested around seven years ago. He had borrowed money in exchange for a promissory note. When he was unable to repay the loan, an argument and altercation ensued which ended with the other person being killed.”

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

Executions in Karaj

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 14, 2025: Ali Itivand and Kiumars Bahrami, two Kurdish relatives on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Karaj Penitentiary.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Karaj Central Prison (Penitentiary) at 10 pm on 13 December 2025. Their identities have been established as 35-year-old Ali Itivand, a Kurdish minority from the village of Sorkheh Mehr in Kouhdasht, and his relative, Kiumars Bahrami, a 29-year-old Kurdish minority from Kouhdasht.

Ali was arrested three years ago and Kiumars, two years ago. They were sentenced to death on drug-related charges in separate cases by the Revolutionary Court.

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

Executions in Qom

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 14, 2025: Hamideh Jabari and Manouchehr Rezayi, a woman and man on death row for separate murders, were executed in Qom Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a woman and man were hanged in Qom Central Prison on 13 December 2025. Their identities have been established as 41-year-old Hamideh Jabari from Saveh and 26-year-old Manouchehr Rezayi from Shahriar, Tehran.

Hamideh was arrested for the murder of her husband four years ago and Manouchehr Rezayi who was arrested for murder during a street fight four years ago. They were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.

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

Executions in Semnan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 14, 2025: Reza Abbasian and Khalil Fadayi, two men on death row for separate murders, were executed in Semnan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Semnan Central Prison on 10 December 2025. Their identities have been established as 46-year-old Reza Abbasian from Semnan and 28-year-old Khalil Fadayi from Shahroud.

Reza was arrested three years ago and Khalil, five years ago. They were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court. Per informed IHRNGO sources, Khalil had attempted to commit suicide twice in prison.

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, December 14-15, 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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