114 Executions Recorded in Iran Since Start of Gaza War; 3 Baluch Political Prisoners Secretly Executed in Zahedan

According to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency, three Baluch men were executed in Zahedan Central Prison on 13 November. Their identities have been reported as Mohammad Barahouyi Anjomani, Mohammad Karim Barkazayi Akson and Edris Bilrani who were sentenced to death for charges of efsad-fil-arz(corruption on earth) through participating in terrorist acts.”

Since the start of the war in Gaza, Iran Human Rights has recorded 114 executions including 24 Baluch minorities, five of whom received the death penalty for collaborating with opposition groups.

Attributing the three men to Jaish ul-Adl, the Sistan and Baluchistan province Chief Justice, Mostafavinia said: “They were sentenced to death for corruption on earth through the terrorist bombings of the 12 Zahedan police station on 29 January 2018, participation in the terrorist explosion in the path of a police patrol car on 25 June 2019 which resulted in the injury of several police officers and the destruction of public and government property, and smuggling bomb-making equipment.”

According to Haal Vsh which reports on news about Baluch human rights, their executions were carried out secretly, without their families being notified. They were denied the right to say goodbye to their families. An informed source said: “These three prisoners were subjected to severe torture to extract forced confessions while held in the custody of the IRGC Intelligence organisation in Zahedan.”

 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. Furthermore, at least 274 Baluch people have been executed for drug-related charges since 2021, 40% of all drug executions in that time period.