Category: Executions

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

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Executions, News, Publications
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.

Prisoner Executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan

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Executions, News
Amirparsa Hasan-Zadeh, Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan

The execution of a prisoner who had previously been sentenced to death for murder was carried out in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan, on September 26, according to the Iran Human Rights Organization.

The prisoner has been identified as “Amirparsa Hasan-Zadeh.”

According to an informed source, Mr. Hasan-Zadeh was arrested three years ago, at the age of 19, on charges of murder and was subsequently sentenced to death by the judiciary.

As of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant institutions have not officially announced the execution.

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.

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Report on the Execution of 7 Prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

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Behnam Hossein Dastjerdi, Fazlollah Pournasiri, Ghezel Hesar prison, Hamzeh Shahbazi, HRANA, Karaj

At dawn on October 2, at least seven prisoners were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj. Among them, two had been convicted of drug-related offenses, three—one woman and two men—were convicted of murder, and two Afghan nationals had been sentenced to death for rape.

According to a previous report by HRANA, Hamzeh Shahbazi and Fazlollah Pournasiri were sentenced to death for drug-related charges, while the two Afghan nationals were convicted of rape. The other three prisoners, convicted of murder, had received death sentences from criminal courts. One of the male prisoners was identified as Behnam Hossein Dastjerdi.

Details of several of these cases, as reported by Hamshahri newspaper, are as follows:

The two Afghan nationals, whose names were not disclosed, were convicted of raping a woman in western Tehran in 2019. They were part of a joint case involving five other men. One of the defendants was acquitted, while the remaining six were sentenced to death. Four other prisoners in the same case are still awaiting execution.

Regarding the female prisoner executed for murdering her husband, reports indicate that eight years ago, she, along with one of her husband’s friends, strangled her husband and set his body on fire. Despite forgiveness from her child, other family members of the victim, including his mother, sister, and brother, insisted on her execution, which ultimately led to the carrying out of the sentence.

Hamshahri also detailed the case of another male prisoner executed for murder. In 2022, following a dispute over a cigarette pack bet, he and a friend fatally stabbed a man. After his arrest, he confessed to the crime and was sentenced to death. Efforts by him and his family to seek forgiveness from the victim’s family were unsuccessful, leading to his execution.

HRANA has confirmed that Behnam Hossein Dastjerdi, one of the executed prisoners, was the father of an 11-year-old child. He and three other prisoners were moved to solitary confinement on Monday, September 30, in preparation for their executions.

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.

Two Inmates Executed in Mashhad and Tehran

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Mashhad, Vahid Nowruzi, Vakilabad prison

In the early hours of October 2, the execution of a prisoner sentenced to death for murder was carried out at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad. The prisoner has been identified as 32-year-old Vahid Nowruzi.

According to the Iran Human Rights Organization, Mr. Nowruzi was involved in a fatal altercation two years ago, which led to his conviction and death sentence. However, as of the time of this report, prison authorities and relevant institutions have not officially confirmed the execution.

On the same day, Rokna reported that a female prisoner, convicted of murdering her husband in Tehran, was also executed. She had been sentenced to death by the Criminal Court after being found guilty of killing her husband with the help of her lover, following family disputes.

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.

Prisoner Executed in Birjand Prison for Drug Offenses

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Birjand Prison, Kashmar, Mojtaba Zafarani

At dawn on Sunday, September 29, the execution of a prisoner who had been previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges was carried out in Birjand Prison, South Khorasan province.

HRANA has identified the prisoner, who was hanged on Sunday morning, September 29, as Mojtaba Zafarani, a 21-year-old from Kashmar.

Mr. Zafarani was transferred to solitary confinement from Ward 5 of Birjand Prison on the night of Saturday, September 28. His family was summoned to the prison a day prior to his transfer for a final visit with their son.

Mojtaba Zafarani was arrested about two years ago on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

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

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.

Two Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj for Drug-related Crimes

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Fazlollah Pournasiri, Ghezel Hesar prison, Hamzeh Shahbazi, Karaj

At dawn today, October 2, the execution of two prisoners who had previously been sentenced to death on charges related to drug-related crimes was carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

HRANA has identified these prisoners, who were sentenced to death on drug-related charges, as Hamzeh Shahbazi and Fazlollah Pournasiri. On Monday, September 30, Mr. Shahbazi and Mr. Pournasiri, along with two prisoners convicted of murder, were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their execution.

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

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.

Prisoner Executed in Kahnuj Prison

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Abdol Habibi, Kahnuj Prison, Kerman

Today, October 1, 2024, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death for non-political crimes was carried out in Kahnuj Prison, Kerman province.

HRANA has identified the prisoner as “Abdol Habibi.” He had been sentenced to death by the judiciary for non-political crimes.

Further details are currently under investigation by HRANA.

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

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.