Iran Human Rights Organization: Two Afghan Prisoners Executed in Karaj Central Prison

On Saturday, January 9, the Iran Human Rights Organization reported the execution of two Afghan prisoners in Karaj Central Prison. The organization noted that these executions were carried out on the morning of January 2 and added that the identity and exact charges against these two men have not yet been confirmed. An informed source told the Iran Human Rights Organization that they were transferred to solitary confinement on December 30, along with Akbar Naimati, who had previously been sentenced to death for murder. The source added, 'Akbar Naimati returned to his cell with a 15-day reprieve, but the two Afghan prisoners were executed on Saturday.' The Iran Human Rights Organization pointed out that the executions of these two prisoners had not been reported by Iranian media or official sources by noon on Saturday. According to the organization's annual report, at least 582 people were executed in Iranian prisons in 2022, of which Iranian media reported only 71 cases. One of the latest executions in Iran was that of four individuals in West Azerbaijan province on Friday, January 8, who were accused by the Islamic Republic's judiciary of 'moharebeh' (waging war against God) and 'corruption on earth' through alleged collaboration with Israel. The Mizan news agency, affiliated with the judiciary, identified these four as 'Vafa Hanareh, Aram Omri, Rahman Parhazo, and Nasim Namazi.' In this context, Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, described the execution of three men and one woman in Iran without a fair trial regarding the alleged 'espionage' charges as tragic and called for an 'immediate halt' to further executions and an 'official end to the implementation of death sentences' in Iran.