Iran: Habib Sobhanifar executed in Dahdasht

According to Iran Human Rights, the prisoner whose identity has been established as Habib Sobhanifar, 45 and a married father of four girls, was executed on the morning of Sunday, July 5.

Habib was a civil engineer with a speciality in building dams and a veteran of the Iran-Iraq war, where he was also injured.

According to HRANA news agency which first published the news, in accordance with an old custom, after his brother was killed in the Iran-Iraq war, Sobhanifar married his brother's wife, with whom he had four children.

An informed source explained the circumstances of the case: "In accordance with an old custom in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Provinces, which dictates that should a man die, his brother should marry their wife, Mr Sobhani married his sister-in-law after his brother was killed in the Iran-Iraq war. He had marital issues with his wife who was five years older than him from many years ago. A few years ago, he entered into a sigheh arrangement (a temporary marriage in Shi’a Islam) with a divorcee and it was agreed that they would marry after he transferred the deed of a house and a car to her.

Mr Sobhani transferred the deeds of his property to her. Once the agreed sigheh period was over and they were supposed to be getting married, she went back to her ex-husband and agreed to marry him. When Mr Sobhani saw the woman with her ex-husband, he shot her outside the Dehdasht police station and immediately handed himself in at the station. Despite the elders and Mr Sobhani’s relatives mediation attempts, the victim’s father refused to consent, saying: “if I consent because I work for the IRGC and I have a reputation, they’ll say there must have been something wrong with my daughter…” and he was ultimately executed in Dehdasht Prison on Sunday morning.

Habib’s funeral was held on Wednesday, July 8, in the village of Rack.

At the time of publication, the execution of this prisoner has not been announced by local media or officials.

According to Iran Human Rights’ annual report, at least 225 of the 280 of those executed in 2019 were charged with "premeditated murder."

As there are no legal distinctions made between murder and manslaughter, whether voluntary or involuntary in Iran, those charged under the umbrella term of “premeditated murder” will receive the death penalty regardless of intent (mens rea) and the circumstances.