Group Hanging of 4 Including 3 Afghans in Taybad

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, four men were hanged in Taybad Prison on 20 October 2025. Their identitites have been established as Ershad Yarkhoda (photo), a 38-year-old father of two from Taybad, and three Afghan men named Feiz Mohammad Shakhnayi, Khaled (surname unknown) and Khalegh (surname uknown) from Mazare Sharif.

Ershad Yarkhoda was arrested around four years ago and his execution was carried out secretly, without prior notice. Feiz Mohammad and Khaled were arrested in the same case three years ago and Khalegh was arrested two years ago. They were all sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.

At the time of writing, their executions have 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.