Undocumented Baluch Najmedin Eshaghzehi Executed in Semnan

According to Hal Vash, a Baluch man was executed in Semnan Central prison on 9 May. His identity has been reported as 36-year-old Najmedin Eshaghzehi who was arrested around three years ago.

He was sentenced to death for drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

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

Ethnic minorities, the Baluch in particular, are grossly overrepresented in execution numbers in Iran. In 2022, at least 174 Baluch minorities including 3 women, were executed in 22 prisons across Iran, making up 30% of overall executions. This is while they represent just 2-6% of Iran’s population. Najmedin was the 27th Baluch executed in 12 days.

Baluch minorities also represented almost half of drug-related executions in 2022. 47.3% of the 256 people executed for drug-related charges were Baluch.

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).