Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); 3 August 2026: Mohammad Davodi and Esmail Aghayi, two men on death row for drug-related offences, were executed in Semnan Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were hanged in Semnan Central Prison on 1 August 2026. Their identities have been established as 42-year-old Mohammad Davodi from Taybad and Esmail Aghayi, a 43-year-old father of two from Bushehr.
Mohammad was arrested four years ago and Esmail was arrested two 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 2025 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 795 people were executed for drug-related charges, of which only 0.18% were announced by official sources. 13% of all drug-related executions in 2025 were Baluch minorities while they represent 2-6% of Iran’s population.
In December 2025, IHRNGO published a report titled “A Village of Graves: Widespread and Systematic Drug Executions in Iran,” which provides an overview of drug laws and documents the systematic violation of due process and fair trial rights in drug cases.