IRAN - More about the June 29 executions in Rajai Shahr

July 3, 2022:

IRAN

More about the June 29 executions in Rajai Shahr. Hrana was the first NGO to publish the news of "10 executions in Rajai Shahr on June 29". The day after the news was picked up by IHR, which first spoke of 4 executions carried out and 5 postponed, and then, on 1 July, 4 more carried out in addition to the 4 already reported. On June 30, the news was also picked up by the Jerusalem Post and Radio Farda (which is part of the Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty network). Putting the news together, we do not arrive at an unambiguous version, but it seems that the executions carried out on June 29 were between 8 and 10 anyway. According to Hrana, 8 were accused of murder and 2 of rape, while according to IHR the men accused of sex crimes were 4, identified as Hamed Alayi, Iman Safavi, Ali Khanbadal and Ali Khangoldi. The others, 2 of whom identified as Iman Safari-rad and Mehdi Khlagaldi, were charged with murder. Iman Safavi and Iman Safari-Rad (also spelled Safavi Rad) are likely the same person. According to Hrana and the Jerusalem Post, Iman Safavi Rad was probably homosexual, and judging by how the sentence was motivated, perhaps so was Mehdi Khlagaldi (also spelled Khalgoldi). According to Radio Farda, 8 men were accused of murder, one of rape, and 1 of sodomy. Radio Farda also cites Farhad Meisamy, a civil activist detained for 4 years in Rajai Shahr, according to whom "about 200 executions are carried out in this prison every year". The Jerusalem Post attaches great importance to the fact that at least one of the executed was homosexual. He quotes an Iranian dissident who now lives in Germany, Dr. Kazem Moussavi, according to whom the Iranian regime, to avoid international controversy, tends to hide the executions of homosexuals, and uses the accusation of rape as a "cover". He then recalls that British diplomatic sources revealed by WikiLeaks in 2008 claimed that since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 the regime had executed between 4000 and 6000 homosexuals, understood as gays and lesbians. Rajai Shahr is also known as Gohardasht Central Prison, or Karaj Prison becoude it is located in in Gohardasht, near Karaj, in Alborz Province.

Iran Human Rights | Article: Four Men Executed for Rape in Rajai Shahr Prison/Five Obtain Extensions | (iranhr.net)
Iran Human Rights | Article: Rajai Shahr Prison Execution Toll Rises to Eight | (iranhr.net)
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-710848
https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-secret-executions-human-rights/31923398.html