Baluch Rahim Karimi Secretly Hanged in Ghaen

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Ghaen Prison, South Khorasan province, on 8 June 2025. His identity has been established as Rahim Karimi (Zadeh Karimi), a 32-year-old Baluch man from Zabol.

He was arrested in Gonbad Kavous for carrying 3 kilograms of shisheh (methamphetamine) around twelve years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

This is while according to informed IHRNGO sources, “Rahim Karimi testified in court that he knew nothing about the drugs and that it had been planted in his car without his knowledge. He was transferred to Ghaen Prison a few months ago and was executed without his family being notified and last family visits.”

At the time of writing, his execution 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. In the first five months of 2025, at least 244 people were hanged for drug-related offences.