Mehdi Piri and Mazaher Ayouzi Executed in Zanjan

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Zanjan Central Prison on 19 August. Their identities have been established as 31-year-old Mehdi Piri (photo) from Shirvan and 35-year-old Mazaher Ayouzi, a father of one.

Mehdi Piri was arrested for drug-related offences around two years ago and sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court. Mazaher Ayouzi was arrested for murder charges around three years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) by the Criminal Court.

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.