Sirous Sholani Executed for Drug Offences in Karaj

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, at least one man was executed in Karaj Penitentiary on September 19. His identity has been established as 22-year-old Sirous Sholani who was sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

Families of drug death row inmates gathered outside the Penitentiary this morning and chanted “don’t execute!’

The fate of three other prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement along with Sirous Sholani is unknown.

At the time of writing, his executions 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.