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Maryam Khakpour, Second Woman Executed on Drug Charges Since 2017

27 Nov 21
Maryam Khakpour, Second Woman Executed on Drug Charges Since 2017

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 26, 2021: Maryam Khakpour was executed for drug-related charges in Isfahan Central Prison. At least 105 prisoners, including two woman, have been executed on drug-related charges in Iranian prisons in 2021.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a woman was executed in Isfahan Central Prison (Dastgerd) on November 25. Her identity has been established as 41-year-old Maryam Khakpour from Kashan. She was sentenced to death for drug-related offences.

“Maryam Khakpour had been detained in the women’s ward of Isfahan Prison for five years. She had repeatedly said that she was innocent and the drugs belonged to her husband. She had divorced her husband three years ago and he was sentenced to 18 years in prison but she was executed,” informed sources told Iran Human Rights.

At the time of writing, Maryam’s execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

According to Iran Human Rights’ Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran, at least 25 people were executed on drug-related charges in 2020. However, at least 105 people have so far been executed on the same charge in 2021. Maryam is the second woman to be executed on drug-related charges since the 2017 Amendment to the Anti-Narcotics Laws.

On May 3, IHR published a report on the death penalty in the first four months of 2021 expressing concern at the significant increase in the number of drug-related executions and continues to warn of the continuation of this trend.