Group Hanging of 4 Men Including 2 Afghans in Mashhad

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, four men were hanged in Mashhad (Vakil Abad) Central Prison on 7 June 2025. Three of the men were sentenced to death on drug-related charges in separate cases. Their identities have been established as Zobeid Ali Maleki (photo), a 38-year-old Afghan man from Sheberghan, Salim, an Afghan man from Kabul and Yashar Haghdoust. Zobeid and Salim were arrested three years ago and Yashar, five years ago.

The fourth man who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder has been identified as Jafar Veisi from Neishabur. He was on death row for four years.

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 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. In the first five months of 2025, at least 244 people were hanged for drug-related offences.