At dawn on Sunday, September 29, the execution of a prisoner who had been previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges was carried out in Birjand Prison, South Khorasan province.

HRANA has identified the prisoner, who was hanged on Sunday morning, September 29, as Mojtaba Zafarani, a 21-year-old from Kashmar.

Mr. Zafarani was transferred to solitary confinement from Ward 5 of Birjand Prison on the night of Saturday, September 28. His family was summoned to the prison a day prior to his transfer for a final visit with their son.

Mojtaba Zafarani was arrested about two years ago on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the judiciary.

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