In recent days, Iranian authorities have carried out a series of executions across multiple prisons in the country. In addition to previous execution reports, at least eight prisoners, convicted of murder or drug-related offenses, were also executed between March 1 and March 8, 2025.
On Saturday, March 8, 2025, Mohammad Javad (Afshin) Hasanvand was executed in Khorramabad Prison. Hasanvand, originally from Alashtar, had been arrested six years ago on murder charges and sentenced to death. Prior to his arrest, he served as an officer in Iran’s Law Enforcement Force (NAJA).
On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, Saeid Karimkhani al-Qandis, a 25-year-old man from Sardroud, was executed in Tabriz Prison. He was arrested three years ago and convicted of murder.
On Thursday, March 7, 2025, Kamran Mousavi, 35, was hanged in Kashan Prison. He had been in detention for three years on murder charges.
On Thursday, March 6, 2025, Iman Shokrollahzadeh, a 42-year-old father of two, was executed in Choubindar Prison, Qazvin. Arrested five years ago, he had been convicted of murder. Before his imprisonment, he worked at a poultry farm.
On Friday, March 1, 2025, Ali Vatan-Khah, 27, was executed in Ardabil Prison. A resident of Parsabad, he was sentenced to death for a murder committed during a group altercation three years ago.
Executions for Drug-Related Charges
On Tuesday, March 4, 2025, Ghasem Saraei, 30, was hanged in Qom Prison. Originally from Qaleh Hassan Khan, Tehran Province, he was sentenced to death three years ago for drug-related offenses. Before his arrest, he worked as a factory laborer.
On Saturday, March 1, 2025, Hassan Fathi, 36, was executed in Tabriz Prison. A resident of Hashtrood, he was arrested three years ago on drug-related charges and sentenced to death.
On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, Jalal Ashkani was hanged in Hamedan Prison. He had been sentenced to death for drug-related offenses following his arrest in 2020.
The latest executions add to growing concerns over the high number of death sentences carried out in Iran, particularly for drug-related offenses, which do not meet the threshold of “most serious crimes” under international human rights law. Iran HRM has repeatedly condemned Iran’s use of the death penalty, calling for judicial transparency, fair trials, and an end to executions.
