Iran: Prisoner Saber Khoshkar Executed in Tabriz

According to Hrana News Agency, a male prisoner was executed in the early hours of Wednesday, January 13, at Tabriz Central Prison. His identity has been established as 27-year-old Saber Khoshkar.

Saber Khoshkar had been accused of killing his girlfriend’s brother on 17 May 2018.

According to an informed source, after being dumped by his ex-girlfriend, Saber had entered her house by climbing a wall in the middle of the night, to threaten suicide with a knife.

According to the source: “After entering the house, he goes to her brother’s room to ask for his mediation in the matter, but thinking someone had broken in, the brother attacks him and was stabbed in the heart during the clash. Realising what had happened, Saber stabs himself in the heart to commit suicide. Hearing the commotion, her parents enter the room and are confronted with this scene. They call the police and ambulance and Saber was taken to the hospital until he was well enough to be transferred to police custody.”

At the time of writing, Saber’s execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

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 and the circumstances.