Four Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison on Drug-Related Charges

At dawn today, four prisoners previously sentenced to death on drug-related charges were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

HRANA has identified the executed individuals as Abbas Lak, Hojjat Havasi, Majid Khalifeh, and Afshin Ezzati.

According to information received by HRANA, they had been arrested on drug-related charges and subsequently sentenced to death by Revolutionary Courts.

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

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.

Two Prisoners Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

HRANA News Agency – Two prisoners who had previously been sentenced to death in separate murder cases were executed at dawn today in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj.

HRANA has identified the individuals as Farman Kooshki, from Kuhdasht, and Yashar Jafari, from Tehran.

According to information obtained by HRANA, the two had been arrested in separate cases on murder charges and later sentenced to death by criminal courts.

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

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.

Prisoner Executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison, Karaj

HRANA News Agency – Today, Wednesday, May 14, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted on drug-related charges was carried out in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

The individual hanged at dawn today has been identified by HRANA as Reza Miri.

According to information received by HRANA, Mr. Miri had been arrested on drug-related charges and was later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

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

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.

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.

Prisoner Executed in Adelabad Prison, Shiraz

HRANA News Agency – Yesterday, May 7, the death sentence of a prisoner previously convicted of murder was carried out in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz.

The identity of the prisoner, executed at dawn on Wednesday, May 7, has been confirmed by HRANA as Ali (Arash) Shafiee.

According to information obtained by HRANA, Mr. Shafiee was arrested four years ago on a murder charge and later sentenced to death by the criminal court.

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

According to HRANA’s statistics, in 2024, Adelabad Prison in Shiraz witnessed the execution of 92 inmates — an 88% increase compared to the previous year. This sharp rise places Adelabad as the second deadliest prison in Iran after Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

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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.

Mahboobeh Rezaei and Reza Mohammad-Hosseini Receives 5 Years in Prison After Retrial

HRANA News Agency – The prison sentences of political prisoners Reza Mohammad-Hosseini and Mahboobeh Rezaei have each been reduced to five years following the acceptance of their request for retrial and a re-examination of their cases by Branch 21 of the Tehran Province Court of Appeals. They were previously sentenced to six years and three months in prison.

Ali Sharifzadeh Ardakani, their attorney, announced today, Sunday, May 4, that following the Supreme Court’s acceptance of the retrial request in January 2025, their cases were referred to a parallel branch for review. Branch 21 of the Tehran Appeals Court reduced their sentences to five years each.

Mahboobeh Rezaei was arrested by security forces on May 22, 2023, and later transferred to the women’s ward of Evin Prison. She was ultimately sentenced by Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court to 19 years and 9 months in prison and a fine of eight million tomans on charges including: “membership in anti-state groups with the aim of disrupting national security,” “assembly and collusion against national security,” “propaganda against the regime,” “blasphemy,” “removing hijab and showing the act of depravity on the Internet.”

Reza Mohammad-Hosseini was arrested in May 2023 at his home by security forces. In January 2024, he was sentenced by Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court to 14 years and 6 months in prison and a fine on charges including: “membership in anti-state groups with the aim of disrupting national security,” “assembly and collusion to commit crimes against national security,” “propaganda against the Islamic Republic of Iran,” and “disobedience toward law enforcement officers during duty.” He is currently serving his sentence in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj.

Political Prisoner Manoochehr Mehman-Navaz Re-Arrested and Returned to Prison

HRANA News Agency – Manouchehr Mehman-Navaz, a political prisoner who had been serving his sentence in an open prison arrangement, was arrested 16 days ago and transferred to Khurin Prison in Varamin.

Based on information received by HRANA, Mr. Mehman-Navaz, who had been serving his sentence outside of prison under an open prison system, was arrested at his private residence on Wednesday, April 16, and transferred to Khurin Prison in Varamin.

He had previously been released from Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj under the same open prison arrangement on November 19, 2023.

Mehman-Navaz was sentenced to five years in prison by Branch 29 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Seyed Ali Mazloum, on charges of “assembly and collusion against internal national security” and “disrupting public order and security through causing commotion and unrest.”

In 2022, he had been sentenced to death by Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Mohammadreza Amouzad. However, that sentence was overturned following testimony from eyewitnesses. After submitting a request for a retrial, his case was re-examined in Branch 29 of the court.

This political prisoner was arrested during the 2022 nationwide protests and was tried in Branch 28 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court in November of that year.

The charges against him included arson of buildings with the intent to confront the Islamic government—an offense classified as moharebeh (waging war against God)—as well as “assembly and collusion against internal national security,” “disrupting public order and security through creating commotion and unrest,” and “participating in unlawful gatherings.”

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.

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.