Mehdi Hamzeipour Secretly Hanged for Drug Offences in Arak

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Arak Central Prison on 18 October 2025. His identity has been established as Mehdi Hamzeipour from Arak.

He was arrested two years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

Mehdi’s execution was carried out without prior notification, while Iranian law requires the defendant’s family or representative be notified 48 hours prior to executions. Consequently, he was also deprived of the right to a last family visit.

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. At least 517 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first nine months of 2025.