Execution of 5 More Prisoners in Iran; One Condemned Prisoner Commits Suicide

Simultaneously with the execution of at least five prisoners in various prisons in Iran by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic, a condemned prisoner in Qazalhessar prison committed suicide. According to human rights sources on Wednesday, December 25, the judiciary executed five prisoners in the provinces of Alborz, Fars, and Razavi Khorasan. At the same time, a collection of human rights activists in Iran reported that a condemned prisoner in Qazalhessar prison in Alborz province committed suicide and died. According to this report, Mohammad Koushki, who had previously been sentenced to death by the Islamic Revolutionary Court for drug-related offenses, "committed suicide by swallowing methamphetamine pills and ended his life." The suicide of prisoners due to pressures arising from human rights violations and the substandard conditions of prisons in various prisons of the Islamic Republic has previously made headlines. Additionally, according to reports, at least three prisoners were executed in Qazalhessar early on Wednesday, December 25. The identities of the executed individuals were reported as Hamed Pakdaman, charged with "moharebeh through armed robbery," and Massoud Jalilian and Hossein Mansouri-Nasab, charged with drug-related offenses. This human rights organization also announced that early on Wednesday, another prisoner named Mahmoud Keshavarzi was executed in connection with drug-related crimes in the central prison (Adelabad) of Shiraz. Furthermore, the Halosh website reported that a 57-year-old prisoner named Abdul Rahman Ishaq-Zahi, an Afghan national, was executed in connection with drug-related crimes in the central prison (Vakilabad) of Mashhad. According to this report, the execution of this Afghan citizen in Mashhad on Tuesday was carried out while he was deprived of a final visit with his family. Executions of prisoners related to drug offenses have continuously increased in the past four years by the judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic, with reports from the Iran Human Rights Organization indicating that the number of executions last year reached "471 executions," an 84% increase compared to the previous year. Although the judiciary of the Islamic Republic does not officially announce executions in many cases, according to documentation gathered by independent human rights organizations, the number of executions in Iran indicates the highest global ranking for violations of the right to life by the government. Warning: Contains content related to suicide. Nothing is more important than human life. If you are thinking about suicide, please contact these special numbers for help: In Iran: Social Emergency 123, Consultant Voice 1480, or Tehran Psychiatric Emergency 44508200. In the USA: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 18002738255, or National Crisis and Suicide Prevention Line 988. In Canada: 911 or 18334564566. In the UK: 116123. And in Afghanistan: 119.