Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 1, 2024: At least six men including an Afghan national were executed for drug-related, murder and security-related charges in Ghezelhesar Prison. Per Alireza Razavi Khaleghabadi’s lawyer, he suffered from mental illness for which he was previously hospitalised.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, at least five men were executed in Ghezelhesar Prison on 30th October. Two of the men who were on death row for drug-related offences, have been identified as Mostafa Gholamzadeh and Abdollah Tajik, an Afghan national.
Two of the men were on death row for charges of moharebeh (enmity against god) and have been identified as Mohammad Jalali and Saman Anbari.
The fifth man who has not been identified at the time of writing, was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.
At the time of writing, none of their execution have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Furthermore, a man was executed at the prison on 23rd October. His identity has been established as Alireza Razavi Khaleghabadi (photo), a 26-year-old man from Yazd who was on death row for both murder and moharebeh charges.
An informed source told IHRNGO: “Alireza had an orchard in Shahryar which was confiscated by the government who assigned four security men to guard it. Alireza couldn’t get his property back no matter what he did and in an act of rage, he attacked and killed the four guards assigned by the government.”
It is not clear whether he was executed for the murder or moharebeh charges.
Rokna reported Alireza’s execution without naming him. His lawyer is quoted as saying that his client “suffered from mental illness and had a history of being sectioned in a psychiatric hospital.”
Article 149 of Chapter Two of the Islamic Penal Code (2013) which relates to the lack of criminal responsibility states: “If the perpetrator has a mental disorder at the time of committing the crime that they lack willpower or judgement, they are considered insane and are not criminally responsible.”
While obtaining document evidence of medical diagnosis are difficult due to a lack of transparency, Iran Human Rights has reported many cases of people suffering from mental disorders being executed throughout the years.
In carrying out such executions, the Islamic Republic of Iran is breaching both its own laws and its international obligations. In an adopted resolution by the United Nations High Commission, it urged States “not to impose the death penalty on a person suffering from any form of mental disorder or to execute any such person.”