Two Men Executed on Murder Charges in Mashhad Central Prison

According to the official Khorasan newspaper, two men were executed in Mashhad Central Prison on August 1. Their identities have only been reported as 57-year-old Hassan and 55-year-old Ali.

Hassan was reported to have killed his older brother over inherited land on 27 March 2014 in Khalgh Abad near Mashhad. Ali was accused of killing his wife on 8 May 2015 in Abradeh village.

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.

Also, Ali was another defendant who was executed for killing his wife following a family dispute on May 7, 2015, in the village of Abardeh (near Mashhad).