Group Hanging of 6 Men in Ghezelhesar Prison

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, six men were hanged in Ghezelhesar Prison on 3 September 2025. Four of the men who were sentenced to death on drug-related charges have been identified as: Habib Atayi, 39-year-old Reza Aghajani, Sajad Sadeghi (photo) and a man only identified as Naser (surname unknown).

The fifth man who has not been identified at the time of writing was an Afghan national sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

State-affiliated Rokna also reported the execution of a man only identified as A.F for murder charges. While the report does not specify the exact location of the execution, he appears to have also been hanged in Ghezelhesar Prison.

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. At least 426 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first eight months of 2025.

Death notice of Sajad Sadeghi: