Sajad Takrouy and Hojat Asiabani Executed for Murder in Ardabil

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Ardabil Central Prison on the morning of 8 June. Their identities have been established as 27-year-old Sajad Takrouy and 50-year-old Hojat Asiabani, both Ardabil natives and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Hojat was arrested for the murder of his wife. He’d been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for his executions twice in the last eight months but had managed to obtain extensions each time. Sajad was behind bars for murder for around seven years.”

At the time of writing, neither of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

According to data gathered by Iran Human Rights, at least 183 people were executed on murder charges in 2021. Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.