Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); November 22, 2025: Karvan Abdolaziz, an Iraqi national, Yahya Karami, Saman Abbasi, Akbar Faraji and Moslem Naderi were executed for drug-related offences in a group hanging in Isfahan Central Prison. At least 11 Iraqi nationals are currently on death row for drug-related offences at the prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, five men were hanged in Isfahan (Dastgerd) Central Prison on 18 November 2025. Their identities have been established as Karvan Abdolaziz, an Iraqi national, Yahya Karami (left photo), a 47-year-old father of two from Aligudarz, 31-year-old Saman Abbasi from Khorramabad, Akbar Faraji and 36-year-old Moslem Naderi (right photo).
Yahya and Saman were arrested for “carrying 8.700 kilograms of cannabis and heroin in a joint case two years ago. Karvan was arrested around four years ago. They were all sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.
At least 11 Iraqi nationals including Kurdish minorities, are currently on death row for drug-related offences in Isfahan Central Prison.
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 612 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first ten months of 2025.