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Mehdi Ghanbari Executed and 5+ Prisoners Transferred for Execution in Rajai Shahr Prison

14 Jul 21
Mehdi Ghanbari Executed and 5+ Prisoners Transferred for Execution in Rajai Shahr Prison

Iran Human Rights (IHR); July 14, 2021: Mehdi Ghanbari who had been sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison on July 10. Several other prisoners were also transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions.

According to Rokna, a young man named Mehdi who had been sentenced to qisas for murder was executed in Rajai Shahr Prison on the morning of July 10.

Iran Human Rights has established his identity as Mehdi Ghanbari and according to informed sources, it is possible that the number of executions were higher.

In the past few days, more than five prisoners from different wards have been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions. They will be executed in the coming days should their victims’ families not forgive or accept blood money instead of retribution.

At the time of writing, only one of the prisoners has been identified as Heydar from Ward 7 of Rajai Shahr Prison, who is on death row for murder.

According to Iran Human Rights’ Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 211 of the 267 people executed in 2020 were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for "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.