Drug-Related Charges: A Prisoner Executed in Hamedan Prison

At dawn today, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death on charges related to drug offenses was carried out in Hamedan Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists in Iran, Abolfazl Azadi was executed on Sunday, January 5, 2025. Based on information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Azadi was previously arrested on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

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

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.

Execution of a Prisoner in Sepidar Prison, Ahvaz

On Wednesday, January 1, 2025, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out in Sepidar Prison in Ahvaz.

HRANA has identified the prisoner as Ali Moradi. Based on information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Moradi had been arrested on charges of murder and subsequently sentenced to death by judicial authorities.

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

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 Three Prisoners in Qazvin Prison

On Tuesday, December 31, 2024, the death sentences of three prisoners convicted of drug-related offenses and murder were carried out at Choobindar Prison in Qazvin.

HRANA has identified one of the executed individuals as Amir Mohammadi, who was hanged at dawn on December 31, 2024. The identities of the two other prisoners remain under investigation.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Mohammadi had been convicted of murder, while the other two prisoners were convicted of both drug-related offenses and murder.

As of the time of this report, prison officials and relevant institutions have not officially announced the executions. In 2024, judicial authorities or domestic media in Iran officially announced only 6% of executions, underscoring a deeply troubling lack of transparency in the country’s legal and judicial processes.

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.

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.

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Prisoner Executed in Yasuj Prison

Today, January 1, 2025, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out in Yasuj Prison.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, the hanged individual has been identified as Pezhman Masoudi Koushk, approximately 25 years old.
 

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

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 of an Execution in Aligudarz Prison

At dawn on Wednesday, December 25, 2024, the execution of a prisoner previously sentenced to death on charges of murder was carried out in Aligudarz Prison, Lorestan province.

According to HRANA, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, the executed individual has been identified as Mohammad Javad Gudarzi.

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

In 2024, the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists in Iran documented 777 cases related to the right to life, including the sentencing of 207 individuals to death and the execution of 883 individuals. Among these, 4 executions were carried out in public. Of those executed, 772 were male, 26 were female, and 5 were juvenile offenders—individuals under 18 years old at the time of their alleged crimes.

Four Prisoners Executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan

Yesterday, December 30, four prisoners were executed in Dastgerd Prison, Isfahan.

According to Iran Human Rights Organization and Haal Vsh, the prisoners have been identified as Ahmad Barahooie (Brahui) Chenal, Kourosh Narooie, Ayat Pourmansouri, 32, from Dezful, and Babak Shoghi, 35.

All four were executed on charges related to drug offenses.

At the time of this report, the executions have not been officially announced by prison authorities or other relevant institutions.

Reports from the Department of Statistics and Publications of Human Rights Activists for 2024 highlight a troubling trend: executions for drug-related offenses accounted for approximately 52% of all executions in Iran. For a detailed analysis of these executions and the associated statistics, see HRANA’s full report.

Eight Death-Row Prisoners on the Verge of Execution in Ghezel Hesar Prison

Eight prisoners in Ghezel Hesar Prison, located in Karaj, have been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for the execution of their sentences.

This development brings the total number of prisoners transferred to solitary confinement for execution to eight. Yesterday, HRANA reported the transfer of three of these individuals to solitary confinement.

HRANA is currently investigating further details about this situation, including the identities of the prisoners involved.

According to data compiled by the Department of Statistics and Publications of Human Rights Activists, in 2024, approximately 7 people per 100,000 were executed in Alborz Province. Ghezel Hesar Prison in this province recorded the highest number of executions, with a total of 138.

Mojahed Korkor Sentenced to Death for the Second Time

Abbas (Mojahed) Korkor, a prisoner held in Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz, has been sentenced to death for the second time by the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz. He had previously been sentenced to death by the same court, but that ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court, and his case was referred to a parallel branch for retrial.

The prisoner’s sister, in a public statement, announced: “Based on the latest information, we have learned that Mojtaba has been sentenced to death once more.”

In December of this year, the Supreme Court had overturned Korkor’s initial death sentence and referred his case for retrial to a parallel branch. In April of 2023, he had been sentenced to death by Branch 1 of the Revolutionary Court of Ahvaz on charges such as “enmity against God” (Moharebeh) and “spreading corruption on earth” (Efsad-e Fel-Arz). Then, in December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence, and his case was forwarded to the execution enforcement branch of the Izeh court.

Korkor was initially held in solitary confinement at Sheiban Prison starting December 20, 2022, before being moved to Ward 8 in early August 2023.

The judiciary accused Korkor of involvement in the killing of Kian Pirfalak, a child who died during the 2022 nationwide protests. However, Kian’s family has consistently denied these allegations, with his mother stating, “When we were returning home, security forces opened fire on our car.”

The court had charged Korkor with “disrupting public order, causing severe injuries and the deaths of seven individuals, including Kian Pirfalak, significant damage to public and private property, forming opposition groups, and engaging in armed rebellion against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

In January 2023, the Izeh prosecutor reported that judicial cases had been filed against 70 protesters involved in the November 16 protests, during which at least seven people, including Kian Pirfalak, were fatally shot by security forces.

While officials have described the November 16 events in Izeh as “terrorist attacks,” eyewitness accounts and testimonies from victims’ families directly contradict these claims.