Anvar Abdollahi, Baha-oddin Ghasemzadeh and his Disabled Brother Davood Executed in Urmia

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, three men were executed in Urmia Central Prison this morning. The identities of the three prisoners have been established as Anvar Abdollahi, Baha-oddin and Davood Ghasemzadeh, who were all sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder.

Baha-oddin and Davood Ghasemzadeh were brothers and Davood was unable to walk due to a spinal cord injury. They were from Salmas and sentenced to qisas on charges of “murdering two people during a tribal conflict” after their arrest in 2009.

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

Their transfer for execution took place on the same day as the execution of Nasser Azmoudeh and Shahriar Amiri on drug-related charges at the same prison.

According to Iran Human Rights’ Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 211 of the 267 people executed in 2020 were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for "premeditated murder."

As there are no legal distinctions made between murder and manslaughter, whether voluntary or involuntary in Iran, those charged under the umbrella term of “premeditated murder” will receive the death penalty regardless of intent and the circumstances.