Mohammad Lotfi Executed for Murder in Ilam

According to Hengaw, a man was executed in Ilam Central Prison on November 23. His identity has been reported as Mehdi Lotfi who was arrested around three years ago. He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

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

As of 10 October 2022, at least 428 people including two juvenile offenders and 12 women were executed by the Islamic Republic, an 89% increase compared to the same period last year. At least 180 people including a woman have been executed for drug-related offences since the beginning of the year. This is while 83 people were executed for the charges in the same period in 2021 and 18 in 2020.