In the continuation of a widespread wave of executions in Iran, at dawn on Sunday, March 16, 2025, two female prisoners, Mojgan Azarpisheh and Kosar Baghernejad, were executed in Urmia Prison. Mojgan Azarpisheh, 31, had been in custody for six years on murder charges, while Kosar Baghernejad, 24, had been sentenced to death four years ago on similar charges.
These executions are part of a larger wave of death sentences carried out in March 2025. Since the beginning of the Persian month Esfand (February 19), at least 111 prisoners have been executed across the country. Human rights advocates have strongly criticized this trend, describing the executions as a tool to instill fear and intimidation in society.
Additionally, in recent weeks, six other prisoners have been executed in Ahvaz, Shiraz, and Kermanshah. Among them, Mohsen Segvand was executed in Sheiban Prison in Ahvaz after being sentenced to death on drug-related charges. Furthermore, three prisoners in Dizelabad Prison in Kermanshah and two prisoners in Adelabad Prison in Shiraz were executed on similar charges.
The recent executions, some carried out without notifying the families, have once again raised concerns about the lack of judicial transparency, violations of fair trial rights, and the increasing use of the death penalty in Iran.
