Category: Executions

Political Prisoner Naeb Askari Receives Death Sentence After Retrial

Posted on by . .
Ethnic Minorities, Executions, Freedom of Expression, News
Mostafa Soltani, Naeb Askari, Nayeb Askari, Urmia

Political prisoner Naeb (Nayeb) Askari has been sentenced to death by the Urmia Revolutionary Court, following a retrial.

Initially, he had received a death sentence in absentia for the charge of “enmity against God (Moharebeh).” However, after his appeal, the court changed the charge to “armed rebellion (Baghi)” and issued a second death sentence.

In this verdict, Askari’s affiliation with a Kurdish political party was cited as evidence for this charge.

Askari was apprehended by IRGC intelligence agents on March 27, 2021, in Urmia and subsequently taken to a detention facility. On June 17, 2021, he was transferred to Urmia Prison, where he has remained in detention.

According to a source close to his family, Askari faces another legal case in the Urmia Criminal Court for his alleged involvement in the death of an IRGC member, Mostafa Soltani. This source clarified that Soltani was injured during a confrontation with a member of a Kurdish party in 2014 and later succumbed to COVID-19, which was unrelated to the earlier injuries. Despite the unrelated cause of death, Soltani’s family filed a complaint, asserting that he died as a result of sustained injuries rather than COVID-19.

Additionally, on July 12, 2021, a new case was initiated against Askari, following a complaint from the head of Urmia Prison. In this case, he was sentenced to an additional three months of imprisonment and 50 lashes for the charge of “disrupting prison order.”

Inmate Executed for Murder in Gonbad-e Kavus

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Citizen executed, Gonbad-e Kavus, Haal Vsh, Mohammad-Ali Vahidi

On October 19, Gonbad-e Kavus Prison in Golestan province carried out the execution of an inmate convicted of murder, according to reports from Haal Vsh.

The individual executed was Mohammad-Ali Vahidi (Dehmardeh), a 56-year-old man who was married and a father of two.

Vahidi had been sentenced to death for murder five years ago. As of now, there have been no official statements from government sources or coverage in domestic media regarding this execution within the country.

According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Concerningly, many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.

 

Two Inmates Executed in Khorramabad

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Fathollah Rashtu, Khorramabad, Parseylun Prison, Vahid Kakavand

On Thursday, October 19, 2023, Parseylun Prison in Khorramabad witnessed the execution of two inmates convicted of drug-related crimes.

HRANA has identified them as Vahid Kakavand and Fathollah Rashtu. HRANA had previously reported their relocation to solitary confinement to await their fate.

Notably, just two days ago, three other inmates faced execution within the confines of this prison.
At the time of writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have reported on these executions.

According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Concerningly, many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.

Execution Carried Out in Rasht’s Lakan Prison for Drug Offenses

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Ketabi, Lakan prison, Rasht

On October 17, 2023, Rasht’s Lakan Prison witnessed the execution of an inmate found guilty of drug-related offenses.

HRANA has identified the executed prisoner as Ketabi; however, his first name remains unknown.

At the time of writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have reported on this execution.

According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Concerningly, many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.

Tragic Execution of Ten Inmates at Qezel Hesar Prison

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Citizen executed, Ghezel Hesar prison, Karaj, Mohammad Behzadi, Qezel Hesar Prison, Shahab Shahbazi

In a somber development on October 18, 2023, Qezel (Ghezel) Hesar Prison bore witness to the execution of ten inmates who had been convicted of drug-related offenses and murder.

HRANA has identified two of these individuals as Shahab Shahbazi and Mohammad Behzadi, both convicted of drug-related crimes. The organization is actively working to confirm the identities of the remaining inmates who met a similar fate.

It’s worth noting that HRANA had previously reported on the relocation of two inmates to solitary confinement within this prison, signaling the imminent implementation of the death penalty.

At the time of composing this report, official sources and domestic media outlets within the country have not yet provided any information regarding these executions.

According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Concerningly, many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.

 

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Three Inmates Executed in Khorramabad

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Khorramabad, Parseylun Prison, Sajjad Moradi, Yaser Golzardian

On Tuesday, October 17, three inmates who had been convicted of drug-related crimes met their execution in Parseylun Prison, located in Khorramabad.

HRANA has successfully identified two of them as Sajjad Moradi and Yaser Golzardian. These inmates had been transferred to solitary confinement in anticipation of their execution. HRANA is diligently working on confirming the identity of the third inmate.

According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October ­10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Concerningly, many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.

 

Execution of Two Inmates in Zanjan and Ardabil

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Ardabil, HRA, zanjan

In separate incidents, two inmates convicted of murder were executed in Zanjan and Ardabil Prisons on October 14 and 15, respectively.

According to the Iran Human Rights Organization, on Sunday, October 14, a 39-year-old cab driver named Ali Asghar Cheraghi Far was executed. He had been convicted of the murder of one of his passengers following a dispute that occurred three years ago. As of the time of this report, there have been no official statements or coverage of this execution by domestic media outlets within the country.

On October 15, another inmate, who was convicted of murder, was executed in Ardabil prison, as reported by Tasnim, a news agency affiliated with security institutions.

As per a deputy prosecutor in Ardabil province, on October 28, 2021, this particular inmate, whose identity was not disclosed, fatally stabbed his father-in-law during a family dispute.

According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Concerningly, many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.

Reza Rasaei Receives Death Sentence Amidst Controversial Charges

Posted on by . .
Executions, Freedom of Expression, News
IRGC’s intelligence, Kermanshah, Reza Rasaei, Sahneh

Reza Rasaei, one of the participants in the 2022 nationwide protests, has been sentenced to death by the Criminal Court of Kermanshah in connection with a legal case related to the “killing of the head of the IRGC’s intelligence of Sahneh County.”

According to Kurdpa, Rasaei has been found guilty of involvement in the death of Nader Beirami, the head of the IRGC’s intelligence in Sahneh County. Additional charges against Rasaei include causing non-lethal injuries, using a knife, and disrupting public order.

Critically, the court’s decision appears to have relied on a confession extracted under duress during Rasaei’s detention.

Rasaei was apprehended on November 24, 2022, by the police and subsequently detained in Sahneh County. After completing the interrogation process, he was transferred to Dizel-Abad prison in Kermanshah.

Several other protesters involved in a demonstration on November 18, 2022, are also facing charges related to their alleged role in the death of the IRGC’s intelligence officer. During this protest, several protestors were also killed by police and security forces.

Reza (Gholamreza) Rasaei, aged 34, is known as a Yarsan follower and a resident of Sahneh County.

Inmate Executed for Drug-Related Offenses in Rasht

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Bukan County, Hossein Mohammadi, Lakan prison, Rasht

On Thursday, October 12, an inmate convicted of drug-related crimes was executed in Lakan Prison, Rasht.

The individual who met this unfortunate end has been identified as Hossein Mohammadi, a 52-year-old resident of Bukan County.

Hossein Mohammadi had been incarcerated for 15 years prior to his execution.

At the time of writing, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have reported on these executions.

According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Concerningly, many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.

 

Four Inmates Executed in Qezel Hesar

Posted on by . .
Executions, News
Ghezel Hesar, Karaj, Nazir-Mohamad Tajik, Nour-Mohammad Barbari, Qezel Hesar

On October 11, Qezel Hesar (Ghezel Hesar) Prison in Karaj witnessed the execution of four inmates who had been convicted of murder. HRANA, citing Etemad News, had previously reported the execution of another inmate at the same facility.

Three of the executed individuals have been identified by HRANA as Nazir-Mohamad Tajik, Nour-Mohammad Barbari, both Afghan nationals, and Shahab Elhami.

Just yesterday, HRANA disclosed the transfer of six death-row inmates to solitary confinement in Qezel Hesar, hinting at the impending executions.

HRANA is actively pursuing further information regarding these recent executions.

According to data compiled by the Center of Statistics of Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA), between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, a total of 659 individuals were executed by hanging in Iran, representing a 24% increase compared to the corresponding period in the previous year. Seven of these executions were conducted publicly. Concerningly, many of the defendants were denied access to a fair trial and due process. For details and statistics, read HRANA’s report.