IRAN - 4 of 7 in Ghezel Hesar

IRAN - 6 men execute in Ghezel Hesar on September 17

September 17, 2025:

September 17, 2025 - IRAN. 6 men execute in Ghezel Hesar on September 17

Ali Esmaili, Majid Hosseini, Omid Hassanzadeh, Rahman Sarlak, Babak Shahbazi + Unk Afghan

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, on 17 September, five men were executed in a group hanging in Ghezel Hesar Prison of Karaj. Four of them have been identified as Ali Esmaili (left photo), Majid Hosseini from Lorestan, Omid Hassanzadeh and Rahman Sarlak (centre right photo) from Kouhdasht. The fifth man, an Afghan national, has not been identified at the time of writing. They were all on death row for drug-related offences.

A source told IHR: “Majid Hosseini was arrested six years ago. Omid Hassanzadeh was arrested for 2 kilograms of shisheh (methamphetamines) and one kilogram and 700 grams of heroin. Rahman was arrested for 10 kilograms of narcotics four years ago.”

At the time of writing, none of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Other sources (and HoC) already published the news of the execution of Babak Shahbazi in Ghezel Hesar on 17 September. According to newly confirmed information, Babak was executed in the group hanging of six in Ghezel Hesar Prison.

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHR’s 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 503 people were executed for drug-related charges, of which only under 3% were announced by official sources. 17% of all drug-related executions in 2024 were Baluch minorities while they represent 2-6% of Iran’s population. At least 426 people were executed for drug-related offences in the first eight months of 2025.

https://iranhr.net/en/articles/8034/
https://iranhr.net/en/articles/8028/