Secret Group Hanging of 7 Drug Defendants in Birjand

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 8, 2025: Seven men including four Baluch minorities and an Afghan national were secretly executed in a group hanging in Birjand Central Prison. Khosro Sarani, Mahmoud Sarani, Yousef Sarvarvash, Mousa Shokoohi, Alireza Laluzayi, Mojtaba Lakzayi and Ali Nouri were all on death row for drug-related offences.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, seven men were hanged in Birjand Central Prison, South Khorasan province, on 4 May 2025. Their identities have been established as Khosro Sarani, a 42-year-old Baluch father of two from the village of Deh Doust Mohammadi in Hirmand; Mahmoud Sarani (Rakhshani), a 41-year-old Baluch man from Sarani village; Yousef Sarvarvash, a 52-year-old Baluch father of four from Zahedan; Mousa Shokoohi, a 40-year-old Baluch man from Torbat Jam; Alireza Laluzayi, a 52-year-old Afghan national who lived in Mashhad; Mojtaba Lakzayi, a 34-year-old father of one from Zabol and 35-year-old Ali Nouri.

The seven men were all sentenced to death on drug-related charges in separate cases. Mahmoud, Yousef and Alireza were arrested three years ago and Khosro, four years ago.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “The seven prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement in preparation for their executions the day prior. Their executions were carried out without their families being notified."

At the time of writing, none of their executions have 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. In the first four months of 2025, at least 169 people were hanged for drug-related offences.

Correction (9 May 2025): According to newly obtained information, Alireza Laluzayi was a Baluch minority and not an Afghan national. Mousa Shokoohi who was previously reported to have been a Baluch minority, was not. Thus, of the seven executions, four were Baluch minorities.

 

Khosro Sarani:

 

Mahmoud Sarani (Rakhshani):

 

Yousef Sarvarvash (Narouyi):

 

Alireza Laluzayi:

 

Mojtaba Lakzayi: