Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 29, 2025: Mohammad Ali Lashari, a Baluch minority, and Hessam Dadkhah were executed for drug-related offences in Isfahan Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 27 August 2025. Their identities have been established as Mohammad Ali Lashari (photo), a 38-year-old Baluch father of three from Zahedan, and Hessam (Keyvan) Dadkhah from Najaf Abad in Isfahan.
Mohammad Ali was arrested seven years ago and Hessam was on death row for four years. They were both sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court. Hessam was held in Najaf Abad Prison and transferred to Isfahan Central Prison for execution.
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. At least 347 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first seven months of 2025.