Iran | Executions in Naghdeh, Zahedan, Gorgan, Semnan, Bandar Abbas

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 5, 2025: Azad Changeh, a Kurdish man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Naghdeh Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Naghdeh Prison on 4 December 2025. His identity has been established as Azad Changeh (Gholeh Rash), a 43-year-old Kurdish father of two from Sardasht.

He was arrested around three 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 612 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first ten months of 2025.

Execution in Zahedan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 5, 2025: Parviz Rigi, a Baluch man on death row for murder, was executed in Zahedan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Zahedan Central Prison on 30 November 2025. His identity has been established as Parviz Rigi, a 30-year-old Baluch man from the Shirabad region of Zahedan.

He was arrested for the murder of his wife in a Zahedan street around three years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

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.

Execution in Gorgan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 5, 2025: Ali Kalhor, a man on death row for murder, was executed in Gorgan Central Prison. Another death row prisoner named Shahin Kheiri was returned to his cell after obtaining a one-month extension in his case.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Gorgan Central Prison on 3 December 2025. His identity has been established as Ali Kalhor who was arrested around four years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

He was transferred to the gallows with another murder death row prisoner named Shahin Kheiri who was returned to his cell after managing to obtain a one-month extension at the last minute.

At the time of writing, Ali Kalhor’s execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Executions in Semnan

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 4, 2025: Iman Mortezayi and Abufeiz Davodi, two Sunni minorities and co-defendants on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Semnan Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Semnan Central Prison on 3 December 2025. Their identities have been established as Iman Mortezayi, a 39-year-old father of two who was a labourer and Abufeiz Davodi, two Sunni men from Taybad. They were arrested in a joint case last year 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.

Execution in Bandar Abbas

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 5, 2025: Yousef Jamshidi, a Baluch man on death row for murder, was executed in Bandar Abbas Central Prison due to inability to pay the blood money.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Bandar Abbas Central Prison on 3 December 2025. His identity has been established as Yousef Jamshidi (Sohrabi), a 22-year-old Baluch man the village of Kahnan Sarney in Minab.

He was arrested for allegedly killing another individual during a group altercation around three years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Yousef’s family were in a poor financial situation, which meant he couldn’t afford a lawyer of his choice and was unable to pay the diya (blood money). This directly contributed to his sentence being carried out.”

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

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, December 4, 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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