Farhad Najafi and Ali Ahmadi Executed on Rape Charges in Maragheh

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Maragheh Prison on the morning of July 5. Their identities have been established as 25-year-old Farhad Najafi and 23-year-old Ali Ahmadi and were arrested around three years ago.

Hrana news agency which first broke the news reported that they had been sentenced to death on rape charges.

At the time of writing, neither of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

The Islamic Penal Code sets the death penalty for rape charges. At least 12 were executed on rape charges in 2020. In 2019, at least 16 people and in 2018, at least 23 people were executed on rape charges. In cases involving rape, the likelihood of defendants being tortured to force a confession is very high. Iran is one of the few remaining countries to issue the death penalty for rape.