Iran | Executions in Sanandaj, Birjand

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); 30 May 2026: Farhang Sheikhleh, a Kurdish man on death row for murder, was executed in Sanandaj Central Prison.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Sanandaj Central Prison on 25 May 2026. His identity has been established as Farhang Sheikhleh, a 55-year-old Kurdish man from Sanandaj.

He was arrested around five 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 diya 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 2025 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 747 people including 48 women, were executed for murder charges, the highest number of qisas executions since 2010. Under 7% of the recorded qisas executions were announced by official sources. In 2025, IHRNGO also recorded 566 cases of families choosing diya or forgiveness instead of qisas executions.

Executions in Birjand

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); 30 May 2026: Javad Ghafran Taleb, a Baluch minority, and two unidentified men were executed for drug-related offences in Birjand Central Prison. Javad’s execution was carried out secretly, depriving him of a final family visit.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were hanged in Mashhad (Vakil Abad) Central Prison on 21 April 2026. One of the men has been identified as Javad Ghafran Taleb (Shahuzehi), a 24-year-old Baluch father of three from Zahedan. The other two men’s identities have not been established at the time of writing.

Javad was arrested in Mashhad six years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. The two unidentified men were also on death row for drug-related offences.

According to Haal Vsh which first reported the news, Javad’s execution was carried out without prior notice and a final family visit.

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

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2025 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 795 people were executed for drug-related charges, of which only 0.18% were announced by official sources. 13% of all drug-related executions in 2025 were Baluch minorities while they represent 2-6% of Iran’s population.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, May 30, 2026

"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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