3 Men Executed in Shiraz; Fourth Man Obtained Last Minute Extension

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were executed in Shiraz (Adel Abad) Central Prison on 17 August. Two of the men who were on death row for drug-related charges have been identified as Yousef Kazemzaedeh and Ali Salimi. The other man who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was identified as Heydar Arab.

They were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions in a group of four on 14 August. The fourth man, Morteza Ardakani was returned to his cell after obtaining a two-month extension from the plaintiffs in his murder case.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Ali Salimi and Yousef Kazemzadeh were transferred to Shiraz Central Prison for their execution from Pirbanu Prison. Ali had been arrested for carrying 100 kg of heroine around two years ago. Yousef was also arrested for drug offences around four years ago.”

“Heidar Arab was arrested for murder during a street group fight three years ago,” the source added.

At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2023 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 471 people were executed for drug-related charges, an 84% increase compared to 2022 (256) and about 18 times the average of drug-related executions in 2018-2020. In the first six months of 2024, at least 147 people were executed for the charges.