Yousef Hashemi Executed for Murder in Qazvin

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Qazvin Central Prison on the morning of March 16. Sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, his identity has been established as Yousef Hashemi from Hamedan.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Yousef Hashemi was a father of one and repaired vehicle dynamos and batteries prior to arrest. He had been in prison for more than four years and had gone to the gallows once before but had obtained an extension from the victim’s next of kin. He wasn’t able to convince them to forgive him in that period.”

At the time of writing, Yousef Hashemi’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.