Baluch Mehdi Piri Executed for Drug Offences in Zabol

According to the Hal Vash, a Baluch man was executed in Zabol Prison on August 20. His identity has been reported as Mehdi Piri who was sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

Two other prisoners who were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, were returned to their cells after obtaining extensions from the victims’ families.

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

According to reports compiled by Iran Human Rights, at least 126 people were executed on drug-related charges in 2021, a fivefold increase compared to drug executions in the previous three years. This trend has continued into 2022, with 91 executions recorded in the first six months of 2022, double the number for the same period in 2021 when 40 people were executed.

At least 251 including 6 women and 67 Baluch minorities were executed in the first six months of 2022. This is double the number of executions in the same period in 2021 when 117 people were executed.