Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); October 22, 2025: Khosrow Vafadar, a Kurdish man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Qom Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Qom Central Prison on 22 October 2025. His identity has been established as 34-year-old Khosrow Vafadar, a Kurdish man from Kermanshah who resided in Tehran. He was arrested three years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.
At the time of writing, his execution has 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 517 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first nine months of 2025.