Ahmad Panahi-Khanghah Executed for Murder in Ardabil

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Ardabil Central Prison on September 12. His identity has been established as 40-year-old Ahmad Panahi-Khanghah. He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

Ahmad was transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for his execution on September 10. He had managed to escape the gallows last month by obtaining a one-month extension.

Informed sources previously told Iran Human Rights that Ahmad had been arrested for an honour killing around four years ago.

At the time of writing, his execution has not 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.

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.