Couple Executed in Zanjan Prison for Drug Convictions

According to the Iran Human Rights Organization, on April 11, 2024, two inmates were executed in Zanjan Prison for drug-related offenses.

The individuals executed were Esmaeil Hosniani, 29, and his wife, Marjan Hajizadeh, aged 19.

The couple had been sentenced to death for drug offenses three years prior. It was reported that Marjan Hajizadeh was arrested at the age of 16, though the Iran Human Rights Organization was unable to verify documentation confirming her status as a minor at the time of arrest.

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.