IRAN: 22 PRISONERS EXECUTED AT GHEZELHESAR PRISON IN KARAJ

May 25, 2015: At least twenty-two prisoners were executed at the Ghezelhesar prison in Karaj between 24 and 25 May, Iran Human Rights reported.
They had been transferred to the prison’s quarantine following a gathering of the death row prisoners of Unit 2 of Ghezelhesar prison on 22 May. The prisoners, who carried the Muslim holy book and handwritten placards, called for the Iranian Supreme leader Ali Khamenei to reduce their death sentences to life in prison. The gathering was reportedly peaceful. Nevertheless, after the gathering, some of the prisoners were threatened by the prison officials that they would all be executed.
Some of the 22 prisoners executed were identified by Iran Human Rights as: Abbas Heydari, Abbas Ameri, Karimbakhsh Bameri, Haj Ahmad Ebrahimi, Asghar Kooshki, Ahmad Rabiei, Ahmad Rabdoost and Seyed Mohamad Mirhosseini. In addition, six prisoners accused of drug-related crimes were identified by the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) as: Nader Hajizadeh, Jahangir Shahozahi, Mehran Baluchzahi, Mehrshad Soleimani, Reza Daeizadeh and Ehsan Saghafi.
Two other group executions took place in the same prison earlier in May. These executions were carried out on 6 and 21 May; each time 11 prisoners were hanged. (Sources: HRANA, 24/05/2015; IHR, 26/05/2015)