Ramin Kazem Alilu and Ali Momeni Executed in Urmia

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Urmia (Darya) Central Prison on 3rd November. Their identities have been established as 35-year-old Ramin Kazem Alilu (photo) and 24-year-old Ali Momeni, two Urmia natives who were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court in separate cases.

Ramin was arrested around five years ago and Ali was arrested for the murder of a goldsmith less than two years ago.

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

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, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness. Crucially, while an indicative amount is set by the Judiciary every year, there is no legal limit to how much can be demanded by families of the victims. IHRNGO has recorded many cases where defendants are executed because they cannot afford to pay the blood money.

In 2023, at least 282 people including two juvenile offenders and 15 women, were executed for murder charges, the second highest number of qisas executions since 2010. Only 20% of the recorded qisas executions were announced by official sources. In 2023, Iran Human Rights also recorded 857 cases of families choosing diya or forgiveness instead of qisas executions.