Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 18, 2024: Yaser Abdollahi, a man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed Isfahan Central Prison. Shahriar Moradi is awaiting the gallows at the prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 18 May. His identity has been established as 51-year-old Yaser Abdollahi from Falavarjan who was sentenced to qisas for murder.
An informed source told IHRNGO: “Yaser Abdollahi was arrested for murder four years ago. He had three children.”
At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Yaser was transferred to the pre-execution solitary cells with another prisoner named Shahriar Moradi who is still awaiting the gallows.
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.
In 2023, at least 282 people including two juvenile offenders and 15 women, were executed for murder charges, the second highest number of qisas executions since 2010. Only 20% of the recorded qisas executions were announced by official sources. In 2023, Iran Human Rights also recorded 857 cases of families choosing diya or forgiveness instead of qisas executions.