Hossein Ali Abedi Hanged for Rape in Ahar

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged for rape charges in Ahar Prison, Eastern Azerbaijan province, on 1 July 2025. His identity has been established as 25-year-old Hossein Ali Abedi who was sentenced to death on rape charges.

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. Iran is one of the few countries in the world to issue the death penalty for rape charges. A lot of cases are also rushed without the defendants having access to a lawyer.

According to the 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 22 people were executed for rape charges across 10 prisons. In the first six months of 2025, at least 19 people were executed for rape charges.