Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); 16 February 2026: Asghar Esmaili, Vahid Karami and Einollah Rahimzadeh, three men on death row for separate murders, were executed in Shiraz Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were hanged in Shiraz (Adel Abad) Central Prison on 15 February 2026. Their identities have been established as 36-year-old Asghar Esmaili from Farashband, 35-year-old Vahid Karami from Isfahan and 30-year-old Einollah Rahimzadeh from Kazeroun.
They were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for separate murders by the Criminal Court. Asghar was arrested for a murder during a street fight around two years ago, Vahid was arrested after an argument at his work turned into a murder, and Einollah was arrested for another murder during a street fight around three years ago.
At the time of writing, their executions have not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.
Crucially, while an indicative diya amount is set by the Judiciary every year, there is no legal limit to how much can be demanded by families of the victims. IHRNGO has recorded many cases where defendants are executed because they cannot afford to pay the blood money. Should the victim’s family choose execution, they are not only encouraged to attend, but also to physically carry out the execution themselves.