Mohammad Akbari and Unidentified Man Executed in Sari

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, two men were executed in Sari Central Prison on December 18. The identity of one of the men who was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, has been established as Mohammad Akbari.

The identity of the second man who was sentenced to death for drug-related charges has not been established at the time of writing.

An informed source told Iran Human Rights: “Mohammad Akbari was arrested for murder around three years ago and sentenced to qisas The victim’s family refused to forgo execution until the last minute.”

At the time of writing, neither of their executions have been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.

More than 500 people including 2 juvenile offenders have been executed in 2022, the highest annual execution since 2017.