Eleven Baloch, Kurdish Prisoners and One Woman Executed in Zahedan and Yazd Prisons

Despite repeated warnings from human rights activists, on Sunday, December 25, the death sentences of 11 prisoners, including 9 Baloch prisoners, one Kurdish prisoner, and one woman, were carried out in Yazd and Zahedan central prisons in just one day. These individuals had previously been sentenced to death on charges including drug-related crimes and murder. According to the Halosh website, in Yazd prison, five Baloch prisoners, one Kurdish prisoner, and one woman were executed. The identities of some of the executed individuals have been confirmed, including 36-year-old Mohammad Ali Kharkouhi, 43-year-old Reza Kharkouhi, and three members of the Totazahi family named Abdolbaset, Abdolnaser, and Ne'matollah Totazahi. These individuals, most of whom had several children, were arrested years ago on drug-related charges and sentenced to death. Local sources reported that Reza Kharkouhi had suffered physical disability due to medical neglect in prison and used a wheelchair in the later years of his life. In Zahedan prison, four Baloch prisoners were also executed. Halosh, citing local sources, identified these individuals as 45-year-old Mohammad Vaziri Roudini, 37-year-old Alireza Golebacheh, 22-year-old Elias Tardast, and Yaqoub Barahoui-Moghadam. These individuals were also arrested on drug-related charges. According to sources, the families of the prisoners had their last visit with them the day before the executions. According to this report, the Baloch community, which constitutes only 5 to 6 percent of Iran's population, consistently ranks at the top of the country's execution statistics. Many of these individuals come from impoverished and marginalized segments of society, bearing the responsibility of supporting large families due to economic conditions. Most of these executions are carried out on drug-related charges, while international organizations and human rights experts have repeatedly emphasized the need to review criminal policies and abolish the death penalty for these crimes.