Death Penalty News

Hank Skinner, who has been on death row in Texas for nearly 3 decades, says he still remains hopeful. "I am optimistic I won't end up here. I should have never been here to start with. And it's been a long journey," he told AFP during an interview. Incarcerated in Livingston, a town some 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Houston, Skinner has always maintained his innocence. He spoke to AFP via telephone from behind a glass window at the Allan B. Polunsky prison, wearing a white prisoner's uniform. In 1995, Skinner was sentenced to death for the murder of his girlfriend and her 2 adult sons in Pampa, a small town in the Texas panhandle. He did not deny having been in the house where the three died, but said he had passed out from a combination of drugs and liquor. Skinner was found in a nearby house with blood on his clothing, but insists that DNA testing would prove his innocence. The father of 3, who recently turned 60 and has a salt-and-pepper beard, Skinner ha...

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); June 13, 2022: Touraj Keshavarz and Ali Samandarnejad have been executed for drug-related offences in Zanjan Central Prison. Two other prisoners have been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions. According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Zanjan Central Prison on 11 June. Their identities have been established as 45-year-old Ali Samandarnejad from Hashtroud and Touraj Keshavarz from Hamedan. They were sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court. Speaking to Iran Human Rights about the executed men, an informed source said: “Touraj Keshavarz was a father of two and had been behind bars for four years. He was a lorry driver prior to his arrest. Ali Samandarnejad had also been in prison for four years for charges of carrying 110 kilograms of  methamphetamine.” At the time of writing, neither of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials i...

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); June 13, 2022: Vali Mohammad Rigi, a Baluch man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed in Zahedan Central Prison today. According to Hal Vash, a Baluch man was executed in Zahedan Central Prison on 13 June. His identity has been reported as 62-year-old Vali Mohammad Rigi (Gangozehi) from Zahedan. He was sentenced to qisasfor murder. At the time of writing, his execution not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran. According to data gathered by Iran Human Rights, at least 183 people were executed on murder charges in 2021. 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. Data gathered by Iran Human Rights also shows that Baluch prisoners accounted...

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); June 12, 2022: Six men who were sentenced to death for the same rape case, have all been executed in Gorgan Prison. According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, six men were executed in Gorgan Prison on the morning of 6 June.  Three of them have been identified as Younes Jahantigh, Ali Keykhah and Ali Lakzayi. The identities of the other three men have not been established at the time of writing. The six men were arrested for the same rape case around three years ago and sentenced to death by the Criminal Court. An informed told Iran Human Rights: “Ali Keykhah was only 18 at the time of arrest and had not taken part in any rape. His crime was to take food for the others.” At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran. In cases of rape, there is a high chance of defendants being tortured to make false confessions, which is used to issue death sentences.  In Iran is one of the few cou...

The three Middle Eastern countries account for 80% of all recorded executions last year An Amnesty International annual review published on Thursday documented a rise in global state executions in 2021 with at least 579 executions known to have been carried out across 18 countries last year⁠ – an overall 20% increase from 2020⁠. The report concluded that Iran accounted for the biggest portion of the increase, executing at least 314 people – up from at least 246 in 2020 – which is the nation’s highest execution count since 2017. This was due, in part, to a marked escalation in drug-related executions. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia more than doubled its number of executions to 65 from 27 the year prior – a grim trend that continued in 2022 with the execution of 81 people in a single day in March. The two Middle Eastern countries, along with Egypt , accounted for 80% of all known executions in 2021. Significant increases from 2020 were also seen in Somalia , South Sudan and Yemen . “After th...

2021 saw a worrying rise in executions and death sentences as some of the world’s most prolific executioners returned to business as usual and courts were unshackled from Covid-19 restrictions, Amnesty International said today in its annual review of the death penalty . At least 579 executions were known to have been carried out across 18 countries last year⁠—a 20% increase on the recorded total for 2020⁠. Iran accounted for the biggest portion of this rise, executing at least 314 people (up from at least 246 in 2020), its highest execution total since 2017. This was due in part to a marked increase in drug-related executions—a flagrant violation of international law which prohibits use of the death penalty for crimes other than those involving intentional killing. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia more than doubled its number of executions, a grim trend that continued in 2022 with the execution of 81 people in a single day in March. “After the drop in their execution totals in 2020, Iran and S...

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 8, 2022: Two death row prisoners, Yousef Naderi and Abolfazl Hassan Moradi were executed in Qom Central Prison yesterday. According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Qom Central Prison on the morning of May 7.  Their identities have been established as 40-year-old Yousef Naderi and Abolfazl Hassan Moradi, around 50 years old. Yousef was sentenced to death on drug-related charges and Abolfazl was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder. Speaking to Iran Human Rights, an informed source said: “They arrested Abolfazl Hassan Moradi on the road to Qom for carrying drugs in February 2018 and sentenced him to death.” “Yousef Naderi was also arrested around four years ago on charges of murder. He was convicted of committing the murder during a fight over financial disputes,” the source added. At the time of writing, neither of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran. Accordin...

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); April 28, 2022: The 14th Annual Report on the Death Penalty Iran by Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) and Ensemble Contre la Peine de Mort (ECPM) provides an assessment and analysis of the death penalty trends in 2021 in the Islamic Republic of Iran.  It sets out the number of executions verified by Iran Human Rights, the trend compared to previous years, the legislative framework and procedures, charges, geographic distribution and a monthly breakdown of executions.  Lists of the female and juvenile offenders executed in 2021 are also included in the tables. 💬 Read the Full Report Here 2021 Annual Report at a glance At least 333 people were executed in 2021, a 25% increase compared to 267 in 2020  55 executions (16.5%) were announced by official sources compared to an average of 33% in  2018-2020 83.5% of all executions included in the 2021 report, i.e. 278 executions, were not announced by the authorities At least 183 executions (55% of all ex...

Use of the death penalty in Iran shot up by 25 per cent in the last year ex-chief justice Ebrahim Raisi became president, an annual survey has found. At least 333 people were executed in Iran in 2021 compared to 267 in 2020, and 280 the year before the pandemic. The annual report on the death penalty in Iran , published by Iran Human Rights and Together Against the Death Penalty, also found at least 17 of the condemned were women, and two people were hanged for crimes committed when they were children. Iran also remained the world’s top executioner last year. “In Iran,” Iran Human Rights director Mahmoud Amiry-Moghaddam said, “we do not have due process. We do not have the independent judiciary. There is systematic use of torture to force confessions. “In almost all death penalty cases, sentences are issued based on confessions extracted from the prisoner. Basically, the judiciary can sentence anyone to death on any charges if they wish. “The Islamic Republic’s dreadful human rights an...