Five Men Executed in Shiraz in November

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, five men were executed in Shiraz Central Prison on November 27. Four of the men’s identities have been established as Shahram Ahmadzadeh, Hojat Nemati, Abbas Sabz and Omar Zardkouhi (Baluch minority).

The fifth prisoner has not been identified at the time of writing but along with Shahram Ahmadzadeh, he was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court. Hossein Nemati, Abbas Sabz and Omar Zardkouhi were all sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court. 

At the time of writing, none of their executions have 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.