Prisoner Hamed Mostafaei Executed in Arak

Iran Human Rights had previously reported the execution of Ahmad Araji, who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) on murder charges on February 26, at Arak Central Prison.

Newly obtained information revealed that at least one other prisoner, Hamed Mostafaei, was executed on drug-related charges at the prison that day.

“Hamed Mostafaei was from the village of Choghasaeedeh on the outskirts of Harsin city in Kermanshah province and was arrested on charges of carrying 5 kilograms of heroin near Arak. He had been married for just a week when he was arrested.”

At the time of writing, neither execution has been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

There has been a dramatic drop in drug-related executions since a new article was added to the Anti-Drugs Law around three years ago. The amendment, which was passed into law in 2017, specifically restricts the death penalty and provides a degree of reduction in some drug-related cases.