Three Men Executed in Karaj; Families Met with Bullets and Tear Gas

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were executed in Qezel Hesar Prison on 10 May. Their identities have been established as Hossein Panjak, Abdolhossein Emami Moghaddam and Babak Aghayi. They were all sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

Their families gathered outside the prison last night in an attempt to save their lives but were met with forces who beat them with batons, bullets and tear gas.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “One of the families was taken to hospital and is in a serious condition after being beaten. Prison authorities fired bullets in the air and shot paint balls at the families. One of them was hit with a club and was in a bad state when they were transferred to the hospital.”

“Hossein Panjak had a stay of execution, but they carried out his execution without regard to the order,” the source added.

According to reports gathered by Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), at least 256 people were executed for drug-related offences in 2022, a more than two-fold increase compared to 2021 (126) and ten times more than 2020 (25).