At Least 10 Prisoners Including Afghan Citizens Hanged on Drug Charges

Iran Human Rights (JULY 12 2017): On Sunday July 9, at least ten prisoners, including three Afghan citizens, were reportedly hanged at Taybad Prison (Razavi Khorasan province, northeastern Iran) on drug related charges. 

Iran Human Rights has obtained the names of four of the prisoners: Nasser Karimi, Mahmoud Teymouri, Abolfazl Mokhtebaz, and Ahmad Sheikhi. 

Iranian authorities are carrying out death sentences for drug related charges at the same time that a bill is being reviewed by the Judicial Commission of the Iranian Parliament calling for the death sentences for many prisoners charged with drug trafficking to be called off. Iranian parliament members had requested from the Judiciary to stop drug related executions for at least five thousand prisoners pending further investigation. However, the request has not stopped the Judiciary from carrying out death sentences for prisoners with drug related charges. 

Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary and the media, have not announced these executions.