In a controversial move that has drawn widespread condemnation, the Iranian judiciary executed Ahmad Alizadeh for a second time on Wednesday, November 13, despite his initial survival following a prior execution attempt earlier this year. Alizadeh, who was 26 years old, had been convicted of murder, yet had previously been granted clemency by the victim’s family after surviving a failed execution attempt.
Alizadeh’s ordeal began with his arrest on October 12, 2018, on murder charges. At the time, he was only 20 years old. After being convicted, he was sentenced to death and spent the next seven years in prison. The initial execution took place on April 27, 2024. However, after hanging for 28 seconds, the procedure was abruptly stopped with the consent of the victim’s family, who chose to forgive him at the last moment. Medical personnel managed to revive Alizadeh, and it seemed his life had been spared.
In the months leading up to his execution, Alizadeh spoke out about his brutal treatment in prison. In an audio recording shared widely on social media, he recounted the trauma of being repeatedly taken to the gallows, only to be brought back each time. “I have one death sentence, not a hundred,” he lamented. He argued that once forgiveness was granted, it should not be revoked, emphasizing the psychological toll of being returned to death row.
Reports indicate that Alizadeh may have been forced to confess under duress. According to sources close to his case, Alizadeh was described as a “gifted student” who had consistently denied the murder accusation, claiming he was coerced into confessing through torture. His second execution has fueled growing concerns about the regime’s harsh use of capital punishment, especially in cases involving allegations of coerced confessions.
Alizadeh’s case is not an isolated incident. On the same day as his execution, Iranian authorities also carried out the death penalty against four other prisoners convicted of drug-related offenses. These executions took place in Zahedan Central Prison and Ghezel Hesar Prison in Alborz Province. Among those executed was 27-year-old Zakaria Alizahi in Zahedan. The three others executed in Ghezel Hesar were identified as Mohsen Moradi, Jafar Rastgar, and Hamzeh Torkashvand.
In recent months, Iran has seen a substantial increase in the use of capital punishment. According to reports from Iran HRM, there has been a sharp surge in executions throughout 2024. This trend highlights the regime’s persistent reliance on the death penalty as a means of suppression.
Iran HRM calls on global organizations and the United Nations to take decisive action against Iran’s systematic human rights violations. The recent surge in executions highlights the pressing need for the international community to exert pressure on Iranian authorities to end the use of capital punishment as a means of repression.
