Statistics Report: 266 Prisoners Executed in the First Half of 2024

Hengaw; Saturday, July 13, 2024

Based on the statistics registered in the Statistics and Documents Center of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, at least 266 prisoners were executed in various prisons across Iran during the first half of 2024 (six months). This period also saw the execution of at least 72 Kurdish prisoners, 42 Turkish prisoners, 32 Baloch prisoners, 23 prisoners from Afghanistan, 10 women, and one child defendant in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to this report, out of the total 266 executions, only 21 cases, equivalent to 8% of all cases, have been officially announced in Iranian state media and media affiliated with the judiciary. Consequently, 92% of these cases have not been reported to the media.

Out of the 266 prisoners whose executions have been registered by Hengaw, the full identity of 259 individuals has been verified, while the identities of 7 individuals are still under investigation.
 

Separation of Executions According to Charges

Based on the statistics registered in the Statistics and Documents Center of Hengaw, the most frequent charge leading to execution during the first six months of 2024 was drug-related charges. 

- Drug-related charges: 159 cases, equivalent to 60% of all cases.
- Premeditated Murder: 90 cases, equal to 34% of all cases.
- Political and Ideological Charges: 10 cases, equal to 3.5% of all cases.
- Armed Robbery: 5 cases, equal to 2% of all cases.
- Rape: 2 cases, equal to 0.5% of all cases.
 

Execution of 10 Political and Religious Prisoners in the First Six Months of 2024

From the beginning of January to the end of June 2024, at least 10 prisoners who were previously sentenced to death by the judicial system of the Islamic Republic of Iran on charges of political and religious activities, including espionage for Israel, have been executed in various prisons across Iran.

According to this report, the charges leading to their executions were as follows:
-  Political Activity: 4 individuals
-  Ideological Activity: 4 individuals
- Espionage for Israel: 1 individual
-  Participation in the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement: 1 individual

The names and details of these executed prisoners are as follows:

1. Davud Abdullahi - Kurdish religious prisoner from Mahabad, executed on January 2, 2024, in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj.
2. Mohammad Qobadlo - Arrested during the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Tehran, executed on January 23, 2024, in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj.
3. Farhad Salimi - Kurdish religious prisoner from Saqqez, executed on January 23, 2024, in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj.
4. Pejman Fatehi - Kurdish political prisoner from Kamiyaran, executed on January 29, 2024, in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj.
5. Mohsen Mazloum - Kurdish political prisoner from Mahabad, executed on January 29, 2024, in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj.
6. Vafa Azarbar - Kurdish political prisoner from Bukan, executed on January 29, 2024, in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj.
7. Mohammad Faramarzi - Kurdish political prisoner from Dehgolan, executed on January 29, 2024, in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj.
8. Saeed (first name only)- Executed on March 3, 2024, in Isfahan on charges of espionage for Israel.
9. Anwar Khezri - Kurdish religious prisoner from Mahabad, executed on May 1, 2024, in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj.
10. Khosrow Basharat - Kurdish religious prisoner from Mahabad, executed on May 1, 2024, in Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj.
 

Execution of a Child and 10 Women

According to data compiled by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, in the past six months, at least one child defendant named Ramin Saadat from Miandoab, who was sentenced to death for premeditated murder, has been executed in the central prison of this city.

Additionally, at least 10 women have been executed in various prisons across Iran. Four women were arrested on charges of premeditated murder, while six women were arrested on drug-related charges and sentenced to death. The death sentences of three of these women were carried out in the prisons of Razavi Khorasan province.
 

Separation of Executions in Iran Based on Ethnicity and Nationality

Based on the statistics registered in the Statistics and Documents Center of Hengaw, the most executed prisoners in the first half of 2024 were Kurds, comprising 72 cases, equivalent to 27% of all l cases during this period. 

The breakdown of executions by ethnicity and nationality is as follows:

 • Kurdish prisoners: 72 cases, equivalent to 27% of all cases
 • Azerbaijani-Turkish prisoners: 42 cases, equivalent to 16% of all cases
 • Baloch prisoners: 32 cases, equivalent to 12% of all cases
 • Foreign prisoners: 24 cases, equivalent to 9% of all cases
 • Lor and Lor Bakhtiari prisoners: 12 cases, equivalent to 4.5% of all cases
 • Gilak prisoners: 5 cases
 • Arab prisoners: 3 cases
 • Turkmen prisoners: 2 cases
 • Hazara minority prisoners: 2 cases
 • Prisoners with unknown ethnicity: 28 cases

Of the total number of executed prisoners, only 44 were Persian. No detailed information is available about the ethnicity of the other 28 prisoners.

Execution of 24 Foreign Prisoners

During the first six months of this year, at least 23 Afghan prisoners and one Iraqi prisoner were executed in different prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Of these 24 prisoners, 9 were sentenced to death on charges of homicide, and 15 were sentenced to death for drug-related charges. Most of these prisoners, including 8 cases, were executed in the prisons of Razavi Khorasan province. Additionally, 4 foreigners were executed in the prisons of Fars and Alborz provinces.
 

Separation of Execution of Death Sentences According to Provinces

The majority of executions in the first six months of this year in Iran were carried out in the prisons of Alborz province, totaling 55 cases, which is 20.5% of the total number of executions. Following Alborz, Razavi Khorasan province recorded 30 executions, and Fars province recorded 21 executions.

 • Alborz province prisons: 55 cases
 • Razavi Khorasan province prisons: 30 cases
 • Fars province prisons: 21 cases
 • Isfahan province prisons: 20 cases
 • West Azerbaijan (Urmia) and East Azerbaijan provinces prisons: 18 cases each
 • Zanjan province prisons: 12 cases
 • Kerman province prisons: 11 cases
 • Hamedan province prisons: 9 cases
 • South Khorasan, Qazvin, and Ardabil provinces prisons: 8 cases each
 • Qom province prisons: 7 cases
 • Ilam, Kermanshah, Golestan, Gilan, and Sistan and Baluchistan provinces prisons: 5 cases each
 • Lorestan province prisons: 4 cases
 • Yazd and Markazi provinces prisons: 3 cases each
 • Hormozgan province prisons: 2 cases
 • Kurdistan (Sanandaj), Semnan, Khuzestan, and North Khorasan provinces prisons: 1 case each