Second Dena Ranger Saved from Execution

Gholamhossein Khaledi, the second ranger of the Dena region, was saved from execution with the consent of the "blood relatives". According to Mehr News Agency, Mr. Khaledi was released from prison on Friday, March 18, after six years of imprisonment and with the consent of the "blood relatives". The reconciliation and forgiveness ceremony for this death-row ranger was held in the presence of a group of local dignitaries, provincial officials, and environmental activists. Gholamhossein Khaledi, a ranger in the protected area of Dena in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad Province, has been in Yasuj Central Prison since July 16, 2010, on charges of murder. In July 2010, during a confrontation with several armed hunters in the heights of "Dena", he caused the death of one of them named Mohammad Payekhzadeh. After several court sessions, he was sentenced to death in February 2012, but this sentence was overturned four times by the Supreme Court, and ultimately, the case was closed with the announcement of the consent of the "blood relatives". Gholamhossein Khaledi is the second ranger of the Dena region to be saved from "qisas" (retribution) and released in the past 12 days, following Asad Taghizadeh, who was sentenced to death in 2007 after a confrontation with five hunters that resulted in the death of a hunter named Mojtaba Rezaei Nik. Mr. Taghizadeh was released from prison on March 8 of this year after the consent of the "blood relatives" was announced. Khaledi's case is the latest among rangers who have been saved from execution due to the consent of the blood relatives. Although, according to ISNA, during Khaledi's forgiveness ceremony, the deputy of the Environmental Organization mentioned that there is still one ranger sentenced to death for killing hunters in prison, and efforts for peace and reconciliation between him and the victim's family are ongoing.