Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); September 17, 2025: Abdolsamad Salarzehi and Abdolmajid Barahouyi, two Baluch men on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Birjand Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Birjand Central Prison on 16 September 2025. Their identities have been established as Abdolsamad Salarzehi (Haji Samad, left photo), a 43-year-old Baluch father of six from Hirmand, and Abdolmajid Barahouyi (right photo), a 40-year-old Baluch man from Zahedan.
Abdolsamad was arrested in Birjand around four years ago and Abdolmajid was also arrested in Birjand around six years ago. They were sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court in separate cases. Abdolmajid’s execution was carried out without his family being notified.
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 426 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first eight months of 2025.