Hassan Ghasemzadeh Executed for Murder in Taybad

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Taybad Prison on December 11. His identity has been established as 31-year-old Hassan Ghasemzadeh who was sentenced to death for murder.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Hassan Ghasemizadeh was a taxi driver who was arrested for the murder of his friend during a verbal argument three years ago.”

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

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.

More than 500 people including 2 juvenile offenders have been executed in 2022, the highest annual execution since 2017.