Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); June 9, 2025: Karim Hemati, a Kurdish minority, and Hamzeh Yari were executed for drug-related offences in Karaj Penitentiary.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Karaj Penitentiary (Central Prison) on 9 June 2025. Their identities have been established as Karim Hemati (left photo), a Kurdish man from Harsin and Hamzeh (Yaghoub, right photo) Yari from Delfan.
They were arrested five and four years ago respectively and sentenced to death on drug-related charges in separate cases.
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. In the first five months of 2025, at least 244 people were hanged for drug-related offences.