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.

Report on the Execution of Three Afghan Nationals in Bandar Abbas Prison

HRANA News Agency – Three prisoners, all Afghan nationals previously sentenced to death in separate drug-related cases, were executed on February 25 and 26 in Bandar Abbas Prison.

Haal Vsh has identified these hanged prisoners as Ezzatollah Arab, Moein Arab, and Abdulbari Jahani—all citizens of Afghanistan.

Ezzatollah Arab and Moein Arab were arrested in 2021 at a checkpoint on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death in a joint case by the Revolutionary Court. Their executions were carried out on Wednesday, February 26.

According to the report, Abdulbari Jahani, who had also been sentenced to death on similar charges, was executed a day earlier, on Tuesday, February 25.

All three prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement on Monday, February 24, in preparation for the executions.

As of this report, prison authorities and official bodies have not publicly announced the executions.

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.

At Least 15 Prisoners Executed in Iran on New Year’s Day

On the first day of the new year, at least 15 prisoners were executed in various prisons across Iran. The executions, carried out in Malayer, Bandar Abbas, Yasuj, and Ghezel Hesar (Karaj) prisons, involved individuals convicted of drug-related charges and murder.

Details of the Executions

  • Malayer Prison:
    Mohammad Shafi Mousavi, convicted of murder, was hanged at dawn.
  • Bandar Abbas Prison:
    Three prisoners were executed. One was identified as Hedayat Ghasemi from Rudan, convicted on drug-related charges. The other two, Afghan nationals, remain unidentified.
  • Yasuj Prison:
    Pezhman Masoudi Koushk, around 25 years old, was executed at dawn. He had been convicted of murder.
  • Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj:
    Ten prisoners were executed. Two of them, including Mohammad Hossein Mohammadi-Far and an Afghan national named Pasha, were convicted on drug-related charges.

    Eight others had been convicted of murder. Details of three cases, reported by Rokna, are as follows:

    • Arshia, born in the 2000s, killed his stepfather with a handgun during an argument in December 2022.
    • Amir, an Afghan national, was arrested in July 2022 for killing a man during a fight and was sentenced to death.
    • Another prisoner, who killed his brother-in-law in October 2022 over an inheritance dispute, was among those executed.

The executions come amid growing concerns about the rising number of death sentences in Iran.

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.

Execution of Five Prisoners in Bandar Abbas Prison

On Wednesday, January 1, 2025, five prisoners, including three Afghan nationals, were executed in Bandar Abbas Prison on charges related to drug offenses.

According to Haal Vsh, one of the prisoners was identified as Hedayat Ghasemi, who had been arrested and sentenced five years ago. The Iran Human Rights Organization identified another prisoner as Shahrokh Sabahpour, a Bandar Abbas resident who had been imprisoned for approximately seven years on drug-related charges.

One of the Afghan nationals was identified as Ramzi Beig-Sawar, 25 years old. The identities of the other two Afghan prisoners remain unknown.

As of the time of this report, the executions have not been officially confirmed by prison authorities or related entities.

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 these 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.

Prisoner Executed in Bandar Abbas Prison

At dawn today, September 17, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death for drug-related offenses was carried out in Bandar Abbas Prison, according to Haal Vsh.

The identity of the individual has been reported as “Hamidreza Hasan-Zahi Thani, 60 years old, father of eight, from Zahedan.”

According to the report, Mr. Hasan-Zahi Thani was arrested in Rudan in 2021 on drug-related charges and was subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of the county. Last week, he was transferred to Bandar Abbas Prison, and on Sunday, he was moved to solitary confinement in preparation for the execution.

His family was summoned to the prison yesterday, where Mr. Hasan-Zahi Thani met them for the last time.

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

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Two Prisoners Executed in Bandar Abbas Prison

On Tuesday, August 13, 2024, two death-row prisoners convictied of charges related to drug offenses and murder were executed in Bandar Abbas Prison.

HRANA has identified these prisoners as “Abdollah Lashtghooni from Bandar Khamir and Hamed Mozaffari from Bandar Lengeh.”

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Lashtghooni had been sentenced to death for drug-related charges, while Mr. Mozaffari was sentenced to death for murder.

These prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement yesterday, along with a third prisoner, in preparation for the execution. The third prisoner, who was also sentenced to death for murder, was returned to the ward.

As of the time this report was compiled, the execution of these prisoners 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.

Three Prisoners Executed in Bandar Abbas Prison

Today, August 6, the execution of three prisoners, previously sentenced to death on separate charges of murder and drug-related crimes, was carried out in Bandar Abbas Prison, as reported by Haal Vsh.

The identities of these prisoners are reported as: Aminollah Narui (Narooie), 42 years old, from Iranshahr; Hamzeh Garavand, approximately 28 years old, residing in Kuhdasht, Lorestan Province; and Azad Abdollahi, approximately 45 years old, from Bandar Abbas.

According to the report, Mr. Naroui was arrested in 2021, and Mr. Garavand in 2022, on drug-related charges in Bandar Abbas and were sentenced to death by the judiciary. Additionally, Mr. Abdollahi, along with another prisoner identified as Roozbeh (last name unknown), was arrested approximately 19 years ago on a joint murder charge and sentenced to death by the judiciary.

No official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided coverage of these executions at the time of writing. 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.

Execution of Three Inmates in Bandar Abbas Prison

On November 19, three individuals, previously convicted of drug-related offenses, were executed in Bandar Abbas Prison, as reported by Haal Vsh.

The executed inmates have been identified as Abdolghafoor Mahmoodi, Mohammad-Hossein Tasht-Zar, and Ali Payam (Maleki), all aged 26. Their death sentences were handed down four years ago as part of a joint legal case.

It is noteworthy that, at the time of this report, no official sources or domestic media outlets within the country have provided information or coverage 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.

 

Two Inmates Executed in Bandar Abbas and Ilam Prisons

On November 30, 2022, Bandar Abbas Prison officials executed an inmate convicted of drug-related crimes.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Haal Vsh, on November 30, 2022, an inmate identified as Parviz Barahooi, a resident of Zahedan, was executed in Bandar Abbas Prison.

In 2017, the Revolutionary Court of Bandar Abbas sentenced Barahooi to death for drug offences.

Also, Kurdpa reported the execution of Mehdi Lotfi in Ilam Prison on November 23, 2022. He was previously convicted of murder.
 
None of the official sources and media outlets inside the country has reported these executions.

Five Inmates Arrested in Khorramabad, Shiraz, and Bandar-Abbas

On August 27 and 28, 2022, five inmates convicted of murder and drug-related crimes were executed in Khorramabad, Bandar-Abbas, and Adel-Abad Prisons.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, on August 27, the authorities of Khorramabad Prison executed an inmate identified as Omid Ali Gravand who previously was convicted of murder.

According to Haal Vsh, on August 28, two inmates convicted of drug-related crimes were executed in Adel-Abad Prison in Shiraz. These inmates have been identified as Rahim Ghanbarzehi, 40, and an Afghan national Mojtaba Khademinejad, 37.

Haal Vsh also reported the execution of two inmates identified as Saeed Sabaki, 27, and Esmail Bargirzan, 28, in Bandar Abbas Prison. Both individuals were convicted of drug-related crimes in 2018.

These executions have not been reported by official sources and media outlets inside Iran so far.