Group Hanging of 5 Men Including Afghan in Ghezelhesar Prison

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, five men were hanged in Ghezelhesar Prison in Alborz province on 23 April 2025. Four of the men who were on death row for drug-related offences have been identified as Kurdish minorities Mahmoudali Naseri (left photo) and Akbar Mousavi (middle photo) from Harsin, Amanollah Barahouyi (right photo), a Baluch minority and Sallahodin Amoudi.

Amanollah was on death row for eight years, and Mahmoudali and Akbar were arrested in the same case nine years ago.

The fifth man has been identified as Abdollah Pashtouyi, an Afghan national sentenced to death on the charge of moharebeh (enmity against god) through armed robbery. He was on death row for five years.

At the time of writing, none of their executions have 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.