Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 12, 2021: Omid Sarani who was sentenced to death on drug-related charges has been executed in Birjand Central Prison. At least 84 prisoners, including a woman, have been executed on drug-related charges in Iranian prisons in 2021.
According to the Baluch Activists Campaign, a Baluch man was executed in Birjand Central Prison on the morning of October 11. His identity has been reported as Zabol-native, Omid Sarani, who was sentenced to death on drug-related charges.
Omid Sarani is reported to have been in the military and arrested on carrying 30 kilograms of methamphetamine while crossing the Sahelabad Nehbandan checkpoint.
At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
According to Iran Human Rights’ Annual Report on the Death Penalty in Iran, at least 25 people were executed on drug-related charges in 2020. However, at least 84people have so far been executed on the same charge in 2021.
On May 3, IHR published a report on the death penalty in the first four months of 2021 expressing concern at the significant increase in the number of drug-related executions and continues to warn of the continuation of this trend.