Ali Heydar Dehghani Executed for Murder in Khorramabad

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Khorramabad Central Prison on the morning of February 27. His identity has been established as 40-year-old Ali Heydar Ghorbani who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

Hrana newsagency which first reported news of  his execution quoted an informed source as saying: “He had been wanted for murder for a number of years. Last year, after the victim’s family agreed to accept diya (blood money), he turned himself in on the condition of paying the diya and had been behind bars since.”

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

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 and no grading, 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.