Abdollah Safarzehi Hanged for Drug Offences in Birjand

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a Baluch man was executed in Birjand Central Prison on 26 February 2025. His identity has been established as Abdollah Safarzehi, a father of one on death row for drug-related offences.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Abdollah was arrested five years ago for being in possession of drugs and a weapon. His co-defendants Abbas Bameri was executed at the prison on 15 February, Abdollah's execution was postponed due to illness."

At the time of writing, his exeuction has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 503 people were executed for drug-related charges, of which only under 3% were announced by official sources. 17% of all drug-related executions in 2024 were Baluch minorities while they represent 2-6% of Iran’s population.

On 10 April 2024, 80+ Iranian and international organisations and groups called for joint action to stop drug-related executions, urging UNODC to make “any cooperation with the Islamic Republic contingent on a complete halt on drug-related executions.