/ IHRights#Iran: Hossein Amaninejad and Hamed Yavari were executed in Hamedan Central Prison on 11 June. Hossein was arrested… https://t.co/3lnMTwFH6z13 Jun

Prisoner Taher Hamel-Khoshkhou Executed in Tabriz

15 Feb 21
Prisoner Taher Hamel-Khoshkhou Executed in Tabriz

Iran Human Rights (IHR); February 15, 2021: A prisoner sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, has been executed in Tabriz Central Prison.

According to HRANA news agency, a man was executed at Tabriz Central Prison on the morning of Wednesday, 6 January 2021. His identity has been established as 42-year-old Taher Hamel-Khoshkhou, who had been sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

Taher Hamel-Khoshkhou was accused of committing murder during a fight in 2008 and initially sentenced to 11 years in prison by the preliminary court. However, his sentence was changed to qisas by the East Azarbaijan Court of Appeals in 2015, which was upheld by the Supreme Court.

Taher Hamel-Khoshkhou was executed without prior notice to his family and his right to a last visit with them.

HRANA quoted an informed source: “They did not tell his family prior to the execution and they did not even have a final visit. The execution was carried out due to pressure from the head of Tabriz Prison, a person named Safi Louyi and nobody knew about it so the family did not have the chance to try to stop the execution by obtaining an extension. Finally, after days of trying, his family found out on Wednesday that his sentence had been carried out and they were told to go and collect his body from Vadi Rahmat (Tabriz cemetery).” 

At the time of writing, Taher Hamel-Khoshkhou’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.