Hossein Akbari and Rasoul Arabi Hanged in Arak

According to information HRANA News Agency, a man was hanged in Arak Central Prison on 27 July 2025. His identity has been established 50-year-old Hossein Akbari who was arrested three years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

Furthermore, a man named Rasoul Arabi was executed at the prison on 3 August. He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

At the time of writing, neither of their executions have 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 seven months of 2025, at least 347 people were executed for drug-related offences.