Faraj Sarmadi Executed in Zanjan

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Zanjan Central Prison on 17 November. His identity has been established as 32-year-old Faraj Sarmadi who was arrested 29 months ago and sentenced to death for rape charges by the Criminal Court.

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

In cases of rape, there is a high chance of defendants being tortured to make false confessions, which is used to issue death sentences. In Iran is one of the few countries in the world that issues the death penalty for rape. A lot of cases are also rushed without the defendants having access to a lawyer.

According to the 2023 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 20 people were executed for rape charges in 2022 compared to 23 in 2022 and 10 in 2021.