At Least 604 Executions in 10 Months; 9 in a Day in Ghezel Hesar Prison

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, nine men were executed in Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj on 1st November. Yadollah Farokhi and Afghan national, Sadegh Tajik were previously reported to have been executed at the prison that day. Newly obtained information reveals that Mohammad Ghobadi and two men only identified as Mani and Abolfazl (surnames unknown) who were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, were also executed that day.

HRANA news agency which also reported five of the executions, identified three of the men as Ehsan Hadad, Abbas Anaraki and Behrouz (surname unknown). Ehsan and Abbas were on death row for murder and Behrouz for rape or murder charges.

The ninth man’s identity has not been established at the time of writing.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “The prisoners were transferred for execution in a group of 15 from mainly Unit 3. Six of the men weren’t executed and returned to their cells. The death row prisoners at that unit have been sentenced to death for murder or rape charges and were transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison from Rajai Shahr Prison after it closed.”

At the time of writing, none of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Kurdish-Sunni prisoner, Ghasem Abasteh who was sentenced to death for charges of moharebeh (enmity against god) and efsad-fil-arz (corruption on earth) through “armed resistance and membership in a Salafi jihadi group” was also transferred to solitary confinement and is at risk of execution.

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, as the plaintiffs, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.