Ten Death Row Inmates Facing Imminent Execution in Ghezel Hesar Prison

HRANA News Agency – On April 22, at least ten inmates sentenced to death were transferred to solitary confinement in Ghezel Hesar Prison in preparation for the execution of their sentences.

According to information received by HRANA, two of these prisoners had previously been sentenced to death on charges of murder. A third individual, an Afghan national, was sentenced to death for the charge of rape. The remaining seven inmates had received death sentences for drug-related offenses.

Further details, including the identities of these prisoners, are currently being investigated by HRANA.

According to data gathered by the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj witnessed the highest number of executions in 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Two Prisoners Executed in Yazd Prison

HRANA News Agency – In the early hours of today, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, two prisoners were executed in Yazd Prison.

According to Hal Vash, the identity of one of the prisoners has been confirmed as Vahid Narouei (Narui), a 30-year-old father of two from Zahedan. HRANA has identified the second prisoner as Yaroli Mahmoudvand from Lorestan.

Both individuals were arrested in Yazd in 2020 on charges related to drug possession and were later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court for the same charges.

As of the time of this report, the execution of these prisoners has not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

According to data compiled by HRANA, 52.69% of all executions in Iran in 2024 were related to drug-related charges. Notably, only 6% of the executions were officially announced, highlighting a significant lack of transparency. For a detailed analysis of these executions and the associated statistics, see HRANA’s full report.

Political Prisoner Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou Executed

HRANA News Agency – Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou, a political prisoner from Chaldoran, was executed secretly without his family’s knowledge. Judicial authorities summoned his family to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Urmia, where they informed them that his execution had been carried out after he was transferred to Tehran.

According to HRANA, citing Fars News Agency, Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou, a political prisoner, has been executed.

Last night, his family was summoned to the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Urmia and informed that his execution had been carried out following his transfer to Tehran. They gathered in front of Urmia Prison, demanding the return of their son’s body.

Kurdpa News Agency reported that, hours after the official announcement of the execution, the family still has no information about the exact time and location of the execution, and they have not yet received his body.

Over the past week, the family and close relatives of this political prisoner repeatedly gathered in front of Urmia Prison and the Urmia Judiciary, demanding clarification of his situation and the halt of his death sentence.

In the early hours of Saturday, April 19, Fars News Agency, affiliated with security institutions, published a video of the prisoner’s forced confessions, attempting to accuse him of “baghi” (armed rebellion). In the video — recorded under unknown circumstances — Mr. Hosseinnezhad is seen participating in a staged reenactment of an alleged “armed operation at the Chaldoran border.”

Mr. Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou, who had recently been moved to solitary confinement in Urmia Prison, was transferred to an unknown location on April 17.

His death sentence had been previously upheld by Branch 9 of the Supreme Court and officially communicated to him at Urmia Prison on March 26, 2025.

In late July 2024, he had been sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court on the charge of “baghi” through alleged membership in an opposition group. Throughout all stages of his trial, he was denied access to legal counsel.

A source close to his family had earlier told HRANA:
“Mr. Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou rejected all charges during his trial and stated that on the day of the alleged clash, he was traveling to Turkey with his family.”

This political prisoner had been arrested on April 13, 2023, at the Chaldoran border by border guards. After several hours of interrogation at the Border Guards’ detention center, he was transferred to the Ministry of Intelligence’s detention facility in Urmia, where he endured 11 months and 10 days of physical and psychological torture aimed at extracting forced confessions about participation in an armed clash between border guards and members of an opposition party.

Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heydaranlou, born in 1985, was the father of three children and had been working as a border tradesman in Chaldoran in recent years to provide for his family.

A Prisoner Executed in Dorud Prison

HRANA News Agency – At dawn yesterday, April 20, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out in Dorud Prison, Lorestan province.

The identity of the prisoner, previously sentenced to death on a charge of murder, has been confirmed by HRANA as Javad Goudarzi.

Mr. Goudarzi had been transferred to solitary confinement on April 19, 2025, in preparation for the execution.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

Prisoner Executed in Gorgan Prison

HRANA News Agency – On Thursday, April 17, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out at Amirabad Prison in Gorgan.

Hyrcani News has identified the executed prisoner as Ahmad Yavari, 40 years old, a resident of Gorgan, and father of two children.

According to the report, this prisoner had been arrested about two years ago on charges of murder. Although the victim’s family had declared their consent and agreed to forgive him, his execution was carried out suddenly and without prior notice.

As of the time of this report, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

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A Prisoner Executed in Qom Prison

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges was executed in Qom Prison.

HRANA has identified the prisoner as Sohrab Heydari, a resident of Rey, Tehran Province.

According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Heydari had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report’s publication, the execution has not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

According to data compiled by HRANA, 52.69% of all executions in Iran in 2024 were related to drug-related charges. Notably, only 6% of the executions were officially announced, highlighting a significant lack of transparency. For a detailed analysis of these executions and the associated statistics, see HRANA’s full report.

Two Prisoners Executed in Arak Prison

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Tuesday, April 15, two prisoners previously sentenced to death in separate cases on charges of murder and drug-related offenses were executed in Arak Prison, according to Iran Human Rights.

The two individuals have been identified as Mehdi Motavalli, a resident of a village in Khondab County, and Gholamali Mashallahi, 43, a father of two from Qom.

According to the report, Mr. Motavalli had been arrested three years ago on charges of murder and later sentenced to death. Gholamali Mashallahi had been in prison for two years on drug-related charges, and his death sentence had been issued by the Revolutionary Court.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been officially confirmed by prison authorities or other responsible institutions.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

Amirhossein Maghsoudlou (Tataloo) Sentenced to Death

HRANA News Agency – The spokesperson for Iran’s Judiciary has announced that Iranian singer Amirhossein Maghsoudlou, known as “Tataloo,” has been sentenced to death by Branch 6 of the Criminal Court One of Tehran Province. Previously, following an appeal by the Tehran Prosecutor, a five-year prison sentence issued in the same case was overturned by the Supreme Court, which then referred the case to a parallel court for retrial.

Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir stated: “After the Supreme Court overturned Mr. Maghsoudlou’s five-year prison sentence, the case was referred to Branch 6 of the Criminal Court One of Tehran Province. This court has sentenced Amirhossein Maghsoudlou to death on the charge of ‘sabb al-nabi’ (insulting the Prophet). The verdict is currently under review by the Supreme Court.”

In December 2024, following an appeal by the Tehran Prosecutor, the initial five-year sentence—previously issued by Branch 9 of Tehran Province’s Criminal Court—was nullified by the Supreme Court.

Separately, in September-October 2024, Tataloo was sentenced to ten years in prison on charges of “promoting immorality and indecency” in another case. That ruling was upheld on appeal, and the case was sent to the enforcement branch. Hearings for this case were held between March 4 and May 7, 2024, in Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari.

Maghsoudlou was extradited from Turkey to Iran in December 2023 and was ultimately arrested in coordination with judicial authorities.

Previously, while living abroad, he was summoned to the Tehran Criminal Court following complaints by a number of victims of betting websites.

Three Executions Carried Out in Bandar Abbas Prison

HRANA News Agency – On the morning of Tuesday, April 16, three prisoners were executed in Bandar Abbas Prison, according to a report by Iran Human Rights.

Among those executed was Ayoub Berniaei (Sarhadi), who had previously been sentenced to death on drug-related charges. The two other individuals executed were identified as Peyman Naderi, 28, from Kermanshah, and Karim Esmaeili from Eslamabad-e Gharb.

According to the report, Peyman Naderi had been arrested two years ago and sentenced to death for drug-related offenses. Karim Esmaeili had faced similar charges and was sentenced to death following his arrest three years ago.

At the time of this publication, neither the prison authorities nor relevant government institutions have officially confirmed these executions.

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 812 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 214 individuals to death and the execution of 930 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 818 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence of Prisoner Accused of Espionage for Israel

HRANA News Agency – The Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of Naser Bakarzadeh, a prisoner held in Urmia Prison. Bakarzadeh had previously been sentenced to death by the Urmia Revolutionary Court on charges of “espionage for Israel.”

This judicial decision was communicated to his defense attorney today. Bakarzadeh is currently being held in the political ward of Urmia Prison and remains in legal limbo until a new court branch is assigned and his case is re-examined.

In November 2024, Branch 3 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death on charges of “espionage for Israel and collaboration with the Mossad intelligence agency.” The Judiciary’s media center was the first to announce this verdict.

Approximately 26 years old, Bakarzadeh was arrested in December 2023–January 2024. He was held for a period in the IRGC Intelligence’s detention facility in Urmia, where he underwent interrogation. According to a source close to his family, the process involved violations of his basic rights, including denial of phone calls and family visits.