Naghi Feizi and Behnam Jahani Hanged for Murder in Rasht

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Rasht (Lakan) Central Prison on 24 February 2025. Their identities have been established as Naghi Feizi, a 49-year-old father of three from Rasht and 27-year-old Behnam Jahani from Larijan.

Naghi was arrested around six years ago and Behnam was arrested around two years ago. They were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for separate murders by the Criminal Court.

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

Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.

Crucially, while an indicative diya amount is set by the Judiciary every year, there is no legal limit to how much can be demanded by families of the victims. IHRNGO has recorded many cases where defendants are executed because they cannot afford to pay the blood money. Should the victim’s family choose execution, they are not only encouraged to attend, but also to physically carry out the execution themselves.