Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 8, 2022: Two death row prisoners, Yousef Naderi and Abolfazl Hassan Moradi were executed in Qom Central Prison yesterday.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Qom Central Prison on the morning of May 7. Their identities have been established as 40-year-old Yousef Naderi and Abolfazl Hassan Moradi, around 50 years old. Yousef was sentenced to death on drug-related charges and Abolfazl was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.
Speaking to Iran Human Rights, an informed source said: “They arrested Abolfazl Hassan Moradi on the road to Qom for carrying drugs in February 2018 and sentenced him to death.”
“Yousef Naderi was also arrested around four years ago on charges of murder. He was convicted of committing the murder during a fight over financial disputes,” the source added.
At the time of writing, neither of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
According to reports compiled by Iran Human Rights, at least 126 people were executed on drug-related charges in 2021, a fivefold increase compared to drug executions in the previous three years. None of the 2021 drug-related executions were reported by official sources.
In 2021, at least 183 people were executed on murder charges. Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.
To read more about the law, practices and cases of executions in Iran, click here.