Two Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison

HRANA News Agency – On Monday, May 12, 2025, the death sentences of two prisoners previously convicted of murder in separate cases were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

HRANA has confirmed the identities of the executed prisoners as Kourosh Jalili and Nasri Zar. HRANA has learned that both individuals had been arrested in separate murder cases and later sentenced to death by the criminal court.

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

According to HRANA’s statistics, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj carried out the highest number of executions among all Iranian prisons, with 150 inmates hanged. This figure has nearly doubled compared to the previous year — a deeply alarming increase that underscores the escalating use of capital punishment in Iran.

Drug-Related Offenses: Prisoner Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

HRANA – At dawn today, Wednesday, May 7, a prisoner previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges was executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

HRANA has confirmed the identity of the executed prisoner as Ruhollah Moradiani. He had been arrested on charges related to drug offenses and later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

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

According to HRANA’s report, in 2024, over 52 percent of executed prisoners had been convicted on drug-related charges. Over the past ten years, individuals convicted of drug trafficking have accounted for 40 percent of all executions. Unfortunately, HRANA’s statistics show no progress in reducing executions for drug-related offenses.

Number of Executions in Ghezel Hesar Prison Rises to Four

HRANA News Agency – Today, April 30, alongside the execution of Mohsen Langarneshin, a political prisoner, in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, three other inmates previously sentenced to death on drug-related and murder charges were also executed.

In addition to the execution of Mohsen Langarneshin—who had been convicted of espionage and collaboration with hostile governments—three other inmates were also put to death. HRANA has confirmed the identity of one of them as Asghar Vatanparast, sentenced to death for drug-related offenses. The two others were executed on murder charges, though their identities have not yet been confirmed.

Further details, including the identities of the two other individuals executed, are still under investigation by HRANA.

Earlier, HRANA had reported the transfer of 11 inmates to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions.

As of the time of this report, the executions of these three prisoners have not been officially announced by prison authorities or relevant institutions.

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 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Ghezel Hesar Prison: 11 Prisoners Await Execution in Solitary Confinement

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, April 28, four prisoners at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, who had previously been sentenced to death on charges related to drug offenses and murder, were transferred to solitary confinement for the implementation of their sentences. With the addition of these individuals, the number of prisoners transferred to solitary confinement for execution in this prison over the past four days has risen to 11.

According to information received by HRANA, one of these prisoners had been sentenced to death for murder, while three others were sentenced for drug-related offenses. In total, four of the eleven prisoners, including two Afghan nationals, had been sentenced to death for murder, while the remaining seven had received death sentences for drug-related charges.

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

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 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Over Three Months in Prison: Ongoing Legal Uncertainty for Atefeh Hassani

HRANA News Agency – Atefeh Hassani, the sister of political prisoner Mohammad Hassani, has spent more than three months in a state of legal uncertainty at Kachouei Prison in Karaj, with no formal charges yet addressed in court.

A source familiar with her case told HRANA, “It has been over 110 days since Ms. Hassani was arrested. She is accused of membership in anti-regime groups, but her legal case remains unresolved and no court hearings have been scheduled.”

Ms. Hassani was arrested by security forces in January 2025 at her family’s home in Karaj. Following a period of interrogation at a security detention facility in the city, she was transferred to Kachouei Prison, where she remains in custody without due process.

Atefeh Hassani is the sister of Mohammad Hassani, a political prisoner currently held in the Central Prison of Karaj.

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At Least Five Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, the death sentences of at least five prisoners previously convicted on drug-related charges were carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, the identities of the executed individuals have been confirmed as Salahuddin Amoudi, Mahmoud-Ali Naseri, Akbar Mousavi, Amanollah Barahouei, Abdollah Pashtooi.

Based on information received by HRANA, Pashtooi was convicted of Moharebeh (enmity against God) through armed robbery, while the remaining prisoners had been arrested in separate cases on drug-related charges and were later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

Earlier, HRANA had reported the transfer of 10 prisoners to solitary confinement in this prison in preparation for execution.

As of the time of this report, prison officials and responsible institutions have not publicly announced these 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 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Seven on Death Row Moved to Solitary in Ghezel Hesar Prison

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, April 14, seven prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj who had previously been sentenced to death on charges related to drug offenses and other non-political crimes were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for the implementation of their sentences.

The transfer, which took place today, Monday, April 14, 2025, was for the purpose of carrying out their death sentences. Four of these individuals had previously been arrested on drug-related charges and were subsequently sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. The remaining prisoners were sentenced to death for other non-political crimes.

HRANA is investigating further details, including the identities of the prisoners.

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 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Report on the Execution of Two Prisoners in Qom and Shahrud Prisons

HRANA News Agency – At dawn on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, the death sentence of a prisoner convicted of drug-related offenses was carried out in Qom Prison, according to Iran Human Rights. In a separate case, with the execution of another prisoner in Shahrud Prison, the total number of executions in that facility on Wednesday rose to two.

The individual, identified as Habib Aghaei, a 32-year-old from Karaj, was hanged at dawn on April 9, 2025. He had been arrested two years ago on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

Meanwhile, the number of executions in Shahrud Prison that day rose to two.

The second executed prisoner was identified as Moein Ashrafi, a 32-year-old resident of a village in Bastam. He was arrested five years ago on charges of murder during a group altercation and later sentenced to death. Despite his family’s offer to pay 3 billion tomans in blood money, the plaintiffs declined to grant their consent for a pardon.

HRANA had previously reported the execution of another prisoner, Gholamreza Pardakhteh (Gorgij), in Shahrud Prison on the same day.

As of the time of this report, these executions have not been officially confirmed by prison authorities or other responsible institutions.

At Least Four Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

HRANA News Agency – At dawn yesterday, April 9, 2025, at least four prisoners previously sentenced to death on separate murder charges were executed by hanging in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

The identities of three of them have been confirmed by HRANA as: Bahram Hodavand-Khani, a resident of Varamin; Salar Amir Jalali, a resident of Tehran; and Abolfazl Karimi, a resident of Karaj.

Based on information received by HRANA, the inmates had been arrested in separate cases on murder charges and later sentenced to death by the criminal court. Among them, Bahram had been on death row for 16 years.

On April 8, HRANA had reported the transfer of 10 inmates to solitary confinement in preparation for the execution of their death sentences. Three of them, who were sentenced to death for drug-related offenses, were returned to the ward after their executions were halted.

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

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 2024. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.

Christian Convert Parvin Ghadiani Held in Legal Limbo for Three Months

HRANA News Agency – Parvin Ghadiani, a Christian convert, has been in custody for approximately three months after being arrested by security forces. She is currently being held in a state of uncertainty in Kachouei Prison in Karaj.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Ghadiani remains in detention.

HRANA has learned that she was arrested by security forces in January of last year. Following her interrogation at one of Karaj’s security detention centers, she was transferred to Kachouei Prison.

A source familiar with Ghadiani’s situation confirmed to HRANA: “The reason for her arrest has been cited as proselytizing Christianity.”

Notably, while Christianity is officially recognized as a minority religion in Iran, security agencies view the conversion of Muslims to Christianity as a highly sensitive matter and respond with severe crackdowns on those involved in religious activism.

The persecution of Christian converts in Iran persists despite Article 18 of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which affirm every individual’s right to freedom of religion, including the right to change their faith and to practice it openly or privately, alone or in community with others.