Baluch Ayoub Rigi and Elias Raisi Executed in Zahedan

According to Hal Vash, at least two Baluch men were executed in Zahedan Central Prison on December 24. Their identities have been reported as 37-year-old Ayoub Rigi and 28-year-old Elias Raisi.

Both men were sentenced to qisas for murder. Ayoub was arrested over three years ago and Elias two years ago.

At the time of writing, neither 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.