Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); December 11, 2025: Mehrdad Rezayi and Saeed Khoshkalam, two men on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Rasht Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Rasht (Lakan) Central Prison on 10 December 2025. Their identities have been established as 31-year-old Mehrdad Rezayi (photo) from the village of Chaparpord in Rasht and 27-year-old Saeed Khoshkalam from Karaj.
Mehrad was arrested around four years ago and Saeed, around three years ago. They were sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Revolutionary Court.
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 697 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first eleven months of 2025.