5 Men Executed for Armed Robbery in Karaj

According to the Judiciary’s Mizan news agency, five men were executed in Karaj Penitentiary on 1 January. The report states the unnamed men were sentenced to death for charges of moharebeh through “numerous armed robbery, violence and harassment, and banditry in Alborz province and other parts of the country.”

The five men had committed 14 robberies against farmers and lorry drivers.

Iran Human Rights has established the identity of the five men as Massoud Rostami, Manouchehr Oghabi, Dariush Shokrzadeh, Navkhas Maleki (Malekzadeh-photo) and Afshin Mohammadi. They were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions the day prior.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “The five prisoners resisted being transferred to solitary confinement and were forcefully taken by prison guards.”

Article 279 of the Islamic Penal Code defines moharebeh as “drawing a weapon on the life, property or chastity of people or to cause terror as it creates the atmosphere of insecurity.” Article 282 sets out the punishments of “death penalty, crucifixion, amputation of right hand and left leg and banishment” which the judge has the discretion to choose per Article 283. This includes “bandits, robbers and smugglers” who take up arms (Article 281 of the IPC). 

Every year, Iran carries out the death penalty for armed robbers it considers to be mohareb (one who has waged war on god). At least four people in 2022, five in 2021 and  three in 2020 were executed for armed robberies.