Jalal Ashkani Executed in Hamedan

According to HRANA news agency, a man was executed Hamedan Central Prison on 5th March. His identity has been reported as Jalal Ashkani who was arrested for drug-related offences around four years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Hamedan Revolutionary Court.

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

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 503 people were executed for drug-related charges, of which only under 3% were announced by official sources. 17% of all drug-related executions in 2024 were Baluch minorities while they represent 2-6% of Iran’s population.

On 10 April 2024, 80+ Iranian and international organisations and groups called for joint action to stop drug-related executions, urging UNODC to make “any cooperation with the Islamic Republic contingent on a complete halt on drug-related executions.