Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 7, 2024: State media reported the executions of Reza Shirzehi and Majid Hajbari for murder charges in Ghezelhesar Prison. Political prisoner Anwar Khezri was previously reported to have been executed that day. Khosro Besharat and Faramarz Tayebbakhsh are currently awaiting the gallows at the prison.
According to Javan Online, two men were executed in Ghezelhesar Prison on 1st May. Their identities have been reported as Bahador and Keyvan who were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.
Iran Human Rights has established their identities as Reza Shirzehi and Majid Hajbari. The Islamic Republic has a history of changing religious to non-religious ones.
IHRNGO previously reported the execution of Kurdish-Sunni political prisoner, Anwar Khezri at the prison that day. This brings the number of executions to three that day.
Anwar’s co-defendant, Khosro Besharat and Faramarz Tayebakhsh are currently awaiting the gallows in the pre-executions cells of Ghezelhesar Prison. Khosro had the last visit with his family on 5 May.
Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.
In 2023, at least 282 people including two juvenile offenders and 15 women, were executed for murder charges, the second highest number of qisas executions since 2010. Only 20% of the recorded qisas executions were announced by official sources. In 2023, Iran Human Rights also recorded 857 cases of families choosing diya or forgiveness instead of qisas executions.