Iran: Prisoners Behnam and Shoaib Rigi Executed in Zahedan

Iran Human Rights (IHR); December 19, 2020: Two prisoners sentenced to death on “drug-related” charges, have been executed at Zahedan Central Prison.

According to Iran Human Rights, two prisoners were executed at Zahedan Central Prison on the morning of Saturday, December 19. The two prisoners, identified as Behnam Rigi and Shoaib Rigi, had been on death row for “drug-related” charges.

An informed source told IHR: “They had been detained for about four years and their case involved 50 kilograms of opium and smuggling arms was also added to their case. This is while Behnam and Shoaib were legally carrying their arms as they were members of the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps).

Yesterday, in an interview with Emtedad, Iranian human rights lawyer, Mostafa Nilli said that at least five death row inmates in Zahedan Prison had been transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions. So far, Iran Human Rights has been unable to corroborate any other prisoner’s execution or transfer to solitary confinement in preparation for their execution. 

At the time of writing, the executions of Behnam and Shoaib Rigi have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

There has been a dramatic drop in drug-related executions since a new article was added to the Anti-Drugs Law around three years ago. The amendment, which was passed into law in 2017, specifically restricts the death penalty and provides a degree of reduction in some drug-related cases.

According to Iran Human Rights’ annual report on the death penalty in Iran, at least 30 people were executed on drug-related charges in 2019.