Category: Executions

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence of Labor Activist Sharifeh Mohammadi

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Executions, News
Death sentence, Rasht, Sharifeh Mohammadi

The Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of Sharifeh Mohammadi, a labor activist imprisoned in Lakan Prison, Rasht. Branch 39 of the Supreme Court nullified the sentence and referred her case to a parallel court for retrial.

Amir Raisian, Mohammadi’s defense attorney, confirmed the ruling, stating that her death sentence, initially issued by Branch 1 of the Rasht Revolutionary Court, has been voided. Her case will now undergo a fresh review.

Mohammadi was sentenced to death on July 4, 2023, on charges of baghi (armed rebellion) due to her alleged membership in an opposition group. This sentence against the female labor activist triggered widespread public outcry.

Her trial, held on June 8, 2023, revolved around multiple charges, including propaganda against the regime, actions against national security, and baghi through her supposed affiliation with the group.

Mohammadi was arrested by the Ministry of Intelligence at her home in Rasht on December 5, 2023. Later that month, she was transferred from Lakan Prison to Sanandaj Prison on December 30, only to be sent back to Lakan after some time.

A source close to her family told HRANA: “Sharifeh was a member of the Association of Labor Organizations until 2013, which has no ties to the Komala group. The charge of baghi is based on her alleged membership in this group, which is not true.”

Three Prisoners Executed in Karaj Central Prison

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Executions, News
Ebrahim Sedigh, HRANA, Karaj, Majid Afrouz, Mohammad Mashmool, The Central Prison of Karaj

On Wednesday, October 9, 2024, three prisoners previously sentenced to death for separate murder convictions were executed in Karaj Central Prison.

HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, confirmed the identities of the executed individuals as Majid Afrouz (52), Mohammad Mashmool, and Ebrahim Sedigh.

A source informed HRANA that the prisoners had been sentenced by judicial authorities in separate murder cases and were being held in Ward 7 of Karaj Central Prison before their executions.

As of the time of this report, prison officials and authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the executions.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Two Prisoners Executed in Choobindar Prison, Qazvin

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Executions, News
Choobindar Prison, HRANA, Qazvin

On Wednesday, October 9, two prisoners who had previously been sentenced to death on murder charges were executed in Choobindar Prison, Qazvin.

Based on information received by HRANA, the prisoners had been previously arrested on murder charges and sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

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

As of the time this report was compiled, the executions had not yet been officially confirmed by prison officials or relevant authorities.

In 2023, 66% of HRANA’s reports on executions lacked official announcements by judicial authorities and went unreported by media inside Iran, highlighting a troubling lack of transparency in due process.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Two Prisoners Executed in Urmia Prison

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Executions, News
Borhan Ansari, Bukan, HRANA, Urmia prison

At dawn on October 10, two prisoners convicted of non-political offenses, including drug-related charges, were executed in Urmia Prison.

HRANA identified one of the executed individuals as Borhan Ansari, a resident of Urmia. Mr. Ansari was arrested three years ago on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. The second prisoner, originally from Bukan, had also been sentenced to death for similar offenses.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant officials have yet to publicly confirm the executions.

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Execution of Seven Individuals in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

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Executions, News
Ahmad Narooie, Arman Hedayati, Ghezel Hesar prison, Kamran Saghaie, Karaj, Mohammad Narooie

At dawn October 9, at least seven prisoners were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

Among those executed were Ahmad Narooie, Mohammad Narooie, and Kamran Saghaie, who had been sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court for drug-related charges. Additionally, the Criminal Court sentenced two Afghan nationals to death for rape. The remaining two prisoners, who had been convicted of murder, included Arman Hedayati, whose identity was verified by HRANA.

Ahmad Narooie and Mohammad Narooie were from Sistan and Baluchestan, and Kamran Saghaie was from Khorramabad. The Narooie brothers were previously arrested in Tehran for possessing 25 kilograms of crystal meth and were sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. Saghaie was arrested in Shahriar for trafficking 700 kilograms of morphine and later received a death sentence.

Details about other executed individuals, as reported by Etemad newspaper, are as follows:

According to Etemad, one of the two prisoners convicted of murder had killed his father in 2007 during a family dispute. Initially, he attempted to murder his 10-year-old niece to take revenge on his brother but ultimately killed his father. After his trial and sentencing, he was granted a temporary reprieve by the victim’s family but was executed once this period expired, as he failed to obtain their pardon.

The second individual was a man who, in 2021, killed his neighbor over a personal dispute and then burned the body. Despite attempts to obtain the victim’s family’s consent, he was executed after the failed negotiations.

Etemad also reported, without revealing the identities of the Afghan prisoners, that they were sentenced to death for a gang rape that took place in 2019 in western Tehran. The incident occurred when the victim, a woman, visited a villa and was assaulted by seven Afghan men. Six members of this group received death sentences, with two being executed last week and two others yesterday. The remaining two defendants are currently awaiting execution in prison.

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 2023, with Zahedan Prison following closely behind. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

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Four Prisoners, Including a Juvenile Offender, Executed in Karaj and Zahedan

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Executions, News
Ahmad Narooie, Ghezel Hesar prison, Mehdi Brahooie, Mohammad Eshaq-Zahi, Saeed Safaie, Zahedan

Today, October 9, the death sentences of four prisoners, including a juvenile offender previously convicted of drug-related charges and murder, were carried out in Zahedan and Ghezel Hesar prisons in Karaj, accroding to Haal Vsh.

The identities of these hanged prisoners have been reported as follows: Ahmad Narooie, 33, and Mohammad Eshaq-Zahi, 31, both residents of Zahedan; Mehdi Brahooie, 21; and Saeed Safaie, approximately 55 years old, Kermanshah.

According to the report, Mehdi Brahooie was arrested in 2019 at the age of 17 on murder charges following a group altercation in Khash. After spending about two years in the Juvenile Correction and Rehabilitation Center, he was transferred to Zahedan Prison. He was eventually sentenced to death by the Juvenile Court of Sistan and Baluchestan Province and was moved to solitary confinement on Sunday, October 6, in preparation for his execution, which was carried out in Zahedan Prison.

Additionally, Narooie and Eshaq-Zahi were arrested in 2020 in Tehran, along with three others, in a joint case on drug-related charges. They were sentenced to death by the Tehran Revolutionary Court. Saeed Safaie, a retired teacher, was also arrested on drug-related charges in 2018. The executions of these three individuals were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

At the time of this report’s publication, the prison authorities and responsible organizations have yet to officially announce the executions.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Annual Report on Executions in Iran: Marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty

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Executions, News
Citizen executions, Corruption on Earth, drug-related executions, Execution, World Day Against the Death Penalty

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)– Ahead of the World Day against the Death Penalty, the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) has published its annual report in an effort to inform the public about situation of the death penalty in Iran, particularly thousands of individuals facing the death penalty and awaiting looming executions.

HRA’s Statistics Center relies on the work of HRANA reporters, as well as a network of independent and verifiable sources. It also incorporates the judicial authorities’ announcements or confirmations of prisoner executions on media, and as such, is exposed to a margin of error representing efforts by the Iranian authorities to omit, conceal, or restrict the collection of such data.

Between October 10, 2023, and October 8, 2024, at least 811 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, rising to 23.06% compared to the same period last year. Of these executions, four were carried out in public. Many of the defendants were denied a fair trial.

HRANA obtained 721 reports regarding executions and death penalty in Iran during this period. The identified executed individuals, include 23 women and 4 juvenile offenders under the age of 18 at the time of alleged crime. Compared to the last period, the execution of female offenders has increased 35.29%.

According to the reports obtained by HRANA, over this period, Iranian authorities sentenced at least 186 defendants to death penalty, including at least 12 women, and 3 individuals to public execution. Death sentences issued increased by 13.41% compared to the last year. In the reporting period, the Supreme Court additionally upheld 59 previously imposed death sentences.

The chart below shows a breakdown of executions by capital offense: 55.49% were charged with drug trafficking, 35.51% with murder, 2.34% with rape, 2.34% with unknown offenses, 1.23% with spying, terror, and bombing, 1.11% with Corruption on Earth (Non-political), 0.86% with Political or Security-related offenses, 0.62% with armed robbery and 0.49% with Corruption on Earth.

execution in Iran

The pie chart below displays execution numbers by the province in which they took place. According to this chart, the Alborz (where three overcrowded prisons are located)  had the highest number of executions at 21.70%. Fars and Isfahan Provinces come second and third, with 9.86% and 6.78%, respectively.

The chart below depicts the distribution of executions’ information sources. The chart indicates that 71.64% of HRANA-confirmed executions were not announced by the official Iranian sources. Undisclosed executions are referred to as “secret” executions.


The chart down shows the execution numbers by gender.

The chart below displays execution numbers by the prison where the executions were carried out. The Qezel Hesar Prison of Karaj And Adel Abad of Shiraz officials have carried out the highest number.

The chart below displays percentage of executions carried out in public vs the number of executions that were carried out in prison. According to statistics, 0.49% of the executions in Iran were carried out in public.

 

For further inquiries please contact Skylar Thompson, Deputy Director Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) at [email protected]

Supreme Court Overturns Death Sentence of Political Prisoner Mahmood Mehrabi

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Executions, News
Dastgerd, Mahmoud Mehrabi, Revolutionary Court in Isfahan

The Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of Mahmood (Mahmoud) Mehrabi, a political prisoner detained at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, after accepting his appeal. The case has now been referred for retrial to a different branch of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan.

Mehrabi’s defense attorney, Babak Farsani, confirmed the development, stating: “Through the diligent efforts of our legal team and the support from the Supreme Court, the death sentence of my client, Mehrabi, initially convicted of ‘corruption on earth,’ has been annulled. His case has now been assigned for retrial to a parallel branch of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan.” In June, Farsani had noted that his appeal highlighted over ten major errors in the original verdict, each providing substantial grounds for the Supreme Court to reconsider.

In May, Branch 5 of the Revolutionary Court in Isfahan had sentenced Mehrabi to death for “corruption on earth,” citing “the extensive dissemination of false information” on his Instagram account as a primary offense.

Mehrabi was first arrested by security forces in Isfahan on February 1, 2023. He was released on bail from Dastgerd Prison on March 16, 2023, but was re-arrested at his home in Isfahan only hours after his release, and subsequently returned to the same prison.

In September 2023, the Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office in Mobarakeh County indicted Mehrabi on several charges, including “corruption on earth through spreading false information, anti-regime propaganda on social media, inciting military and police forces to disobey orders and surrender online, inciting violence and unrest to disrupt security, and insulting the Supreme Leader and Ruhollah Khomeini on social media.”

In January 2024, Mehrabi faced additional charges, including “publishing criminal content in the media and insulting religious figures and sacred entities.”

Mahmood Mehrabi, 35, a resident of Isfahan, worked as an electrical engineer prior to his arrest.

Two Prisoners Executed in Kerman Prison

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Executions, News
Kerman prison

According to Rokna, on October 3, 2024, two prisoners were executed in Kerman Prison.

The report states that last June, following several reports of assaults by unidentified individuals along the Haft-Bagh Road, three suspects were arrested and sentenced to death. After the death sentences of the first and second defendants were upheld by the Supreme Court, their executions were carried out yesterday in Kerman Prison.

The death sentence for the third defendant in this case is still under review by the Supreme Court.

In February of last year, the Second Branch of the Criminal Court of Kerman Province sentenced all three defendants to death for the charge of rape. The three men were accused of posing as officers, stopping vehicles of individuals and young couples, and using threats and kidnapping to commit assault, rape, and ultimately steal valuable items from their victims.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.

Two Prisoners Executed in Ilam Prison

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Executions, News
Ilam, Nasrollah Mennati, Nima Moradi

On October 1, 2024, two prisoners convicted of murder in separate cases were executed in Ilam Prison.

Kurdpa identified the prisoners as Nima Moradi and Nasrollah Mennati, both residents of Ilam.

Moradi was arrested two years ago, while Mennati had been detained earlier, each in separate cases related to murder charges. Both were sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

As of the time of this report, the executions had not been officially confirmed by prison officials or relevant authorities.

According to the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran, in 2023, at least 767 citizens, including 21 women and 2 juvenile offenders, were executed. Of these, the executions of 7 individuals were carried out in public. Additionally, during this period, 172 others were sentenced to death, with 5 of them sentenced to public execution. It is worth noting that during the same period, the initial death sentences of 49 other individuals were also upheld by the Supreme Court.