World Day Against the Death Penalty: Annual Report on Execution in Iran 2021-2022

Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)- On 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 sensitize the public about the death penalty situation in Iran, particularly thousands of death-row convicts awaiting their 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, 2021, and October 7, 2022, at least 528 convicts were executed by hanging in Iran, rising to 98% compared to the same period last year. Of these executions, one was carried out in public. Many of the defendants were denied a fair trial and due process.

Click here to download report in PDF format

HRANA obtained 439 reports regarding executions and death penalty in Iran during this period. The identified executed individuals, include 20 women and 6 juvenile offenders under the age of 18 at the time of alleged crime. Compared to the last period, the execution of female offenders has raised 55%.

According to the reports obtained by HRANA, over this period, Iranian authorities sentenced at least 89 defendants to death penalty, including at least 5 women, and 7 public executions.  Issuing death sentence decreased by 1% compared to the last year.

As the chart below shows a breakdown of executions by capital offense: 50.38% were charged with murder, 41.29% with drug and narcotic offenses, 3.03% with rape, 1.70% with non-political armed robbery/offenses classified as “corruption on earth,” and 0.38% with political or security-related offenses. Moreover, 0.38% were convicted of security charges (spying, terror, and bombing), 0.38% were convicted of armed robbery, and 2.46% of charges are unknown.

The pie chart below displays execution numbers by the province in which they took place. According to this chart, the Sistan and Baluchestan Province had the highest number of executions at 16%. Alborz (where three overcrowded prisons are located) and Fars Provinces come second and third, with 16.48% and 11.93%, respectively.

The chart below depicts the distribution of executions’ information sources. The chart indicates that 70% of HRANA-confirmed executions were not announced by the official Iranian sources. Undisclosed executions are referred to as “secret” executions.

 

The chart above shows the execution numbers by gender.

The pie chart below displays execution numbers by the prison where the executions were carried out. The Rajai-Shahr Prison officials have carried out the highest number of executions with 14.42%. Zahedan Prison ranks second with 12,33% executions.

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, 0.19% of the executions in Iran were carried out in public.

***

Click here to download the report in PDF format.

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

Report: Prisoners’ Families Demonstrate as Executions Surge

Since May 2022, the number of executions, especially of prisoners convicted of drug-related crimes has significantly increased. Since the judiciary carries out the executions without prior notice, the new wave has raised concerns among the prisoners’ families, who organized protests in Tehran and Karaj during the past six days. Although the protests have been peaceful, the police have arrested several individuals.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, from May 22 to June 21, the number of executions spiked to 99 cases, four times more than the months before. Executions have remained at this high rate since, causing panic among death row prisoners and their families.

During this period, half of the executed inmates had been convicted of drug-related offences. Unlike murder cases in which the convict is at the mercy of the victim’s family for judgment, the execution of inmates convicted of drug-related crimes is decided by the judicial authorities’ decision.

The families have been gathering peacefully for six consecutive days in Tehran and Karaj. On September 11, the protest turned violent and 30 people were arrested, of which eight currently are kept in detention.

As the figure below illustrates, the judicial authorities have not been transparent as only 39% of the executions have been reported by official sources and media outlets inside Iran so far.

From March 21, 2022 (the beginning of the Iranian year) to September 11, 2022, the Judicial authorities have executed a total of 306 people, including 267 men, 30 women and 30 gender-unspecified individuals. Four of these individuals were under the age of 18 at the time of the arrest. One Pakistani and one Afghan National are among these individuals.

The figure below illustrates the breakdown of executions by capital offence.

Of these convictions, 151 people had been convicted of murder (Qisas or reprisal), 130 of drug-related crimes, 12 of rape, and two of security charges. The charges against 11 individuals remain unknown.

Geographically, 56 executions have been carried out in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. Fars Province ranks second with 28 executions.

In the above-mentioned period, the authorities have sentenced 42 defendants to the death penalty.

One prisoner’s spouse expressed to HRANA that the number of executions has increased exponentially in recent weeks and the prisoners live in fear of imminent execution. 

A prisoner who is currently on furlough said the prisoners are fearful and worried about the prospects of speedy Judgements. 

According to the head of State prisons and the Security and Corrective Measures Organization, 45% of prisoners in Iran are jailed for drug-related offences.

Since under international law, drug smuggling does not fall into the category of violent crimes,  the government has been criticized by the Human Rights Organization and the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran for the execution of drug-related offenders.

In 2017, the former prosecutor of Tehran, Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi, announced the reform in drug-related crime laws and promised the reduction of the death sentences and executions. According to the recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (SPC-HRA), drug-related executions have been reduced, but the number of recent executions is alarming. 

According to the SPC-HRA report, between January 1, 2021, and December 20 2021, at least 299 individuals, including four juvenile offenders were executed. 85 others were sentenced to death. 

The video reportage is a compilation of  26 videos of recent protests.

Political Prisoner Firooz Musaloo Sentenced to Death

Recently, Branch 2 of the Revolutionary Court of Urmia sentenced the political Prisoner Firooz Musaloo to death.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, the political prisoner, Firooz Musaloo, the resident of Khoy city has been sentenced to death.

According to the verdict issued recently, he has been found guilty of “enmity against God (Moharebeh) and membership in one of the anti-regime political parties.”

On July 11, 2019, Firooz Musaloo was arrested by IRGC’s Intelligence agents and transferred to a detention center in Urmia. On January 1, 2020, he was sent to Urmia Prison.

On June 20, 2020, he was again sent to the detention center for interrogation and on June 27 of that year was sent back to Urmia Prison.

Juvenile Offender’s Death Sentence Revoked After 18 Years In Prison

The Supreme Court of Iran revoked the death sentence against Mohammad-Reza Haddadi who committed murder when he was 15 years old. The verdict was reduced, requiring Haddadi to pay Diyah (blood-money). Haddadi spent 18 years in prison and was sent to the gallows several times, but the executions were halted at the last moment.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Deutsche Welle Persian, the Supreme Court’s verdict statement clarifies that due to the passage of time, forensic medicine is not able to assess if the defendant was rational and mature at the time of the crime. Secondly, other defendants’ statements about the victim’s suffocation Haddadi are not conclusive enough to determine intention.

Moreover, the Supreme Court states that two other defendants have refuted their earlier statements and the Judges also doubted the intentionality of the homicide. Therefore, the verdict was reduced to paying a full Diyah (blood money).

In March of 2021, Haddadi wrote a letter to the then Head of the Judiciary, Ebrahim Raisi, and asked that his case be reviewed.

During the initial investigation and the first court session held on October 30, 2003, he confessed to the robbery and murder. However, eight days later, in a letter to the court, he claimed his confession was made due to the request of one of the other defendants, who asked him to confess to the killing in exchange for money. He had accepted the request based on the assumption that he is a minor and hence will not receive the death penalty.

Haddadi has been imprisoned for 18 years and suffers from severe renal failure and ulcers.

Inmate Executed in Yasuj Prison

On Thursday, December 30, an inmate previously sentenced to death for rape was executed in Yasuj Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting ISNA News Agency, the Public Prosecutor of Yasuj City announced that the execution had been carried out. The inmate was arrested and convicted last year, and the verdict was upheld by the Supreme Court of Iran. The Prosecutor did not reveal the identity of the executed prisoner.

The most recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between January 1 of 2021 and December 20 of 2021, at least 299 citizens, including four juvenile offenders, were executed. In addition, 85 citizens were sentenced to death in this period.

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 88% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Now is definitely not the time to stop reading!

Three Inmates Executed in Shiraz Central Prison and Dastgerd Prison

On December 19, two death row inmates previously convicted of drug-related crimes were executed in Shiraz Central Prison. In Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, a female inmate was executed for committing murder.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting ‏the Baloch Activists Campaign, Naeem She-Bakhsh and Abdolkhalegh Salar-Zehi, were executed in Shiraz Central Prison. They were natives of Kolahoor Village in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.

Per a report by Iran Human Rights, a woman identified as Fatemeh Aslani was executed in the Dastgerd Prison of Isfahan. In the report, and informed source stated that “Nine years ago, Fatemeh Aslani was arrested allegedly for killing her husband for abetting one of her relatives with whom she secretly had affairs. She pleaded not guilty. Because the murderer had left the country, they executed her instead”.

The most recent report from the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between October 8 of 2021 and October 9 of 2021, at least 266 citizens, three of whom were juvenile offenders, were executed and 90 citizens were sentenced to death.

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 82% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

Political Prisoner Heidar Ghorbani Executed in Sanandaj Prison

On the morning of December 19, political prisoner Heidar Ghorbani was executed in Sanandaj Prison. He was convicted for “armed insurrection against the regime” (Baghi) and sentenced to the death penalty. This execution was carried out despite international outcry, including from UN human rights experts, to halt the execution.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Ghorbani’s lawyer, Saleh Nikbakht, confirmed the news of the execution. He told HRANA that “by order of chief justice, Heidar Ghorbani’s case had been sent to Kurdistan’s Chief Justice for further examination. They told us yesterday that they will notify both Iran’s chief justice as well as his family about the result of this examination. I talked to Mr Ghorbani just yesterday morning. Nonetheless, they executed him today at 4 am. His family was told to come to the cemetery but they did not deliver the body to his family”.

Pointing out that the charge of “armed insurgency” is not supported by substantial evidence, he added that, “despite these legal considerations and the request for retrial by the Supreme Court, they carried out the execution under pressure by some authorities”

On September 30, 2016, several members of the IRGC were killed by gunmen in a village in Kamyaran County. Ghorbani was arrested on October 16, 2016 along with two others.

A regime TV channel broadcasted Ghorbani’s forced confession in March of 2016. In the broadcast, security and judicial officials accused him of murdering several members of the IRGC. However, Ghorbani only confessed that he had been forced to transport several armed members of Kurdish anti-regime parties.

In October 2019, he was tried on the charges of “assisting in murder, assault with a deadly weapon, helping offenders to escape from law enforcement, involvement in premeditated murder, attempted murder, affixing a license plate to another car, attempted kidnapping, and the acquisition of stolen property”. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison for every three charges.

However, Branch 1 of Sanandaj’s Revolutionary Court sentenced him to death on the charge of “armed insurgency”. This verdict was confirmed by the Supreme Court and the case was delivered to the Public and Revolutionary Court in Kamyaran. On August 12, his lawyer asked for a retrial, which was rejected by Branch 27 of the Supreme Court. When the conviction was publicized, Sanandaj Prison officials banned him from visitation.

Life Imprisonment and Death Sentence Against Two Brothers Without Any Proper Due Process

In a blatant violation of due process, prison officials verbally informed Abbas Daris’s family that he has been sentenced to death without providing a letter of conviction or any other written documents.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, Daris’s family was informed of his sentencing about four months ago. 

Arrested during the November 2019 Protests, Daris is currently held in Mahshahr Prison. He was indicted alongside his brother Mohsen Daris on charges of “enmity against God (Moharebeh)”, “disturbing the public order” and “murdering a Counter-Terrorism Special Forces agent (NOPO)”. Mohsen Daris was sentenced to life in prison on charges of “collaborating to murder the NOPO agent”.

Karim Dahimi, a political and human rights activist, told HRANA that according to a report by the second crime scene analyst, “NOPO agent Reza Sayyadi was shot dead from behind on November 18, 2019, and therefore not from the front, where the protesters were standing. Moreover, Daris’s family has been told that they can compensate the victim’s family by paying blood money (Diya). This stands at odds with the charge of “enmity against God”, which indicates that the case does not have any plaintiff. This unorthodox request implies that they know that he is innocent”.

“Everything proceeded informally and verbally. They didn’t provide a single written statement regarding his conviction,” an informed source told HRANA. “The problem is that in this province, even verbal statements from the court and prison officials can be true and reliable. That the judiciary officials are not complying with legal routines and cooperating with his family and lawyer increases our concerns”.

Abbas Drais is 48 years old and the father of two children, ages 12 and 14. Reportedly, his wife died from a stroke after receiving the shocking news of his death sentence. His children are currently living with their grandmother.

In January 2020, the regime’s TV channel, known as the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), reported the murder of the NOPO agent. Considering the previous cooperation of IRIB with security forces in extracting confessions under torture, it is likely that both brothers have been subjected to torture-tainted confessions.

In November of 2019, an unprecedented increase in fuel prices sparked a wave of protests in dozens of cities across the country. The spokesperson of the Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Seyed Hossein Taghavi, announced that 7000 people were arrested during these protests. According to reports of human rights organizations, hundreds were killed by regime forces.

Two Inmates Executed in Mashhad and Kerman Prisons

Two inmates were recently executed in Mashhad and Kerman Prisons.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting Rasank News, in two separate cases, Emrahim Narooie and Heydar Gholjaie, both residents of Zahedan County, were executed in Mashhad and Kerman Prisons respectively. They had been sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

On Sunday, November 28,  Narooie was executed in Mashhad Prison. Gholjaie was executed in Kerman Prison on Thursday, November 25.

Reportedly, Heydar Gholjaie visited his family before his execution. In 2018, he was arrested at a checkpoint on the road connecting Bam City to Kerman for carrying drugs. Since then he had been jailed in Kerman Prison.

The most recent report of the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between October 8 of 2020 and October 9 of 2021, at least 266 citizens, three of whom were juvenile offenders, were executed and 90 citizens were sentenced to death.

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities have not publicly announced over 82% of executions. These unreported executions are dubbed as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.

Official sources and news outlets inside Iran have not reported on these executions as of this writing.

 

 

Three Inmates Executed in Rajai Shahr and Kerman Prisons

This week, in addition to juvenile offender Arman Abdolali, three inmates were executed in Rajai Shahr and Kerman Prisons.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting ISNA, an inmate who was previously convicted of murder was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj on Wednesday, November 24. At the same time, three other inmates, after being sent to the foot of the gallows, were able to obtain additional time from the “blood avengers” at the very last minute, and were sent back to their cells.

Reportedly, the executed man was personnel of a contracting company working for Tehran municipality. As part of his duty, he stopped a van driver, who was working as a scrap metal collector, to check his permit for this work. The verbal quarrel ends up in a fight between them. During the fight, the van driver was hit in the head, fainted and subsequently died from the fracture in his head in hospital.

According to the victim’s son, who witnessed the incident, the man hit his father’s head with brass knuckles led to his death. Despite recognizing the homicide as a semi-deliberate killing by the judge in the first trial, the Supreme Court overturned the verdict. In the second trial, he was sentenced to death and the verdict was confirmed by the Supreme Court. He had been sent to the gallows the previous year, but was that time able to obtain some more time from the blood avengers before being executed.

In Kerman Prison, according to Rasank news, on Thursday, November 25, two inmates, who have been identified as Abdolsattar She-Baksh and Khan-Mohammad Rahman-Zehi, were executed. They have been charged with drug-related crimes. Both had been in jail for three years.

The most recent report of the Statistics and Publication Center of the Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) states that between October 8 of 2020 and October 9 of 2021, at least 266 citizens, three of whom were juvenile offenders, were executed and 90 citizens were sentenced to death.

As the report points out, Iran’s judicial authorities do not publicly announce over 82% of executions. These unreported executions are known as “secret executions” by human rights organizations.