Ali Hemat Estaki and Unidentified Man Executed for Murder in Daran

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Daran Prison on September 13. One of the men has been identified as 35-year-old Ali Hemat Estaki but the identity of the second man has not been established at the time of writing. They were both sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Ali Hemat Estaki was arrested for the murder of his friend around five years ago and sentenced to death. Ali and his friend were arguing over financial issues and the murder was unintentional.”

At the time of writing, their executions have 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.