Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 12, 2021: Bakhtiar Sarmadi and Hossein Heidarzadeh who were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder in the same case, have been executed in Shiraz Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Shiraz Central Prison on December 12. Their identities have been established as Bakhtiar Sarmadi and Hossein Heidarzadeh. They were sentenced to qisas for murder.
An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “There were three defendants in this case, the third defendant was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for being accessory to murder. They were accused of killing a man at a farm five years ago.”
At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
According to Iran Human Rights’ Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 211 of the 267 people executed in 2020 were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for "premeditated murder."
As there are no legal distinctions made between murder and manslaughter, whether voluntary or involuntary in Iran, those charged under the umbrella term of “premeditated murder” will receive the death penalty regardless of intent and the circumstances.