A Human Rights Organization Reports the Execution of 10 Individuals in Iranian Prisons

The Iran Human Rights Organization reported in separate reports that at least 10 individuals were executed in Iranian prisons. According to this human rights organization, on the morning of Wednesday, October 24, the death sentences of two men accused of "premeditated murder" were carried out in Zanjan Central Prison. The organization wrote that Mohammad Reza Hajikhani from Zanjan was one of the executed, who had been sentenced to qisas (retribution) for murder three years ago. Mehran Soltani, another executed individual in Zanjan prison, had been detained and sentenced to qisas for the murder of a close relative five years ago. The organization also reported that the death sentences of two Afghan nationals, who were sentenced to qisas for "premeditated murder," were carried out on the same Wednesday in Qom Central Prison. In another report published by this organization, it mentioned the execution of five prisoners in Ghezal Hesar prison, stating: "On the morning of Wednesday, the death sentences of at least five men, including two Afghan nationals, were carried out in Ghezal Hesar prison in Karaj." It was also reported that two of these prisoners, executed for drug-related charges, were from Nourabad Lorestan. According to the human rights organization, two of the executed individuals were sentenced for premeditated murder and another for rape in Ghezal Hesar prison. Additionally, on the same Wednesday, the death sentence of a prisoner named Armin Aghchali, who had been sentenced for drug-related charges, was carried out in Golestan Central Prison. In recent months, the trend of executions in Iran has intensified, prompting European and American officials to repeatedly express concern over the increase in executions in Iran. Mehrdad Darvishpour stated: "Intensifying repression and executions cannot prevent crime." Four more executions; the Iranian government claims they were involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit alcoholic beverages.