At Least 67 Prisoners Executed in Iranian Prisons in May 2024

Hengaw: Friday, June 1, 2024

In May 2024, at least 67 prisoners were executed in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran. This number represents a decrease of 10 cases, or 13%, compared to April, when 77 prisoners were executed.

According to data compiled by the Statistics and Documents Center of Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, at least 67 prisoners were executed in Iranian prisons during May 2024. While the identities of 66 of these prisoners have been confirmed to Hengaw.

Among those executed in May, 25 were Kurdish prisoners, representing 37% of the total. Additionally, 15 Turkish prisoners, 5 Baloch prisoners, and 3 Afghan nationals were executed.

Notable executions in May included two Kurdish religious prisoners, Khesraw Besharat and Anwar Khezri, who were executed in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj. Additionally, a Kurdish juvenile offender, Ramin Saadat, was executed in the central prison of Miandoab.

At least four women were executed in May: Fariba Mohammadzahi in Kerman prison, Razieh in Vakil Abad prison (Mashhad), Parveen Mousavi in Urmia prison, and Fateme Abdullahpour in Neishabur central prison.

The majority of these executions occurred in the prisons of West Azerbaijan Province (Urmia), with 13 cases. This was followed by Alborz Province with 10 cases, Isfahan with 7 cases, Fars with 6 cases, and Kerman and East Azerbaijan with 5 cases each. Ardabil and Qom each reported 4 cases, while Ilam, Razavi Khorasan, Zanjan, and Golestan each reported 2 cases. Kermanshah (Kermashan) and Semnan provinces each reported 1 case.

Notably, only 3 of the 67 executions in May, or 4.5%, were announced by official Iranian sources and judiciary-affiliated websites.

Classification by charges:

In May, two religious prisoner were executed. The majority of executions were related to charges related to drug crimes, accounting for 38 cases, equivalent to 56.5% of all cases. 

- Political and ideological: 2 cases
- Premeditated murder: 26 cases
- Drug-related crimes: 38 cases
- Rape: 1 case