Baluch Farshad Rakhshani Executed in Gonbad Kavous

According to Haal Vsh, a Baluch man was executed in Gonbad Kavous Prison in Golestan province on 6 March. His identity has been reported as 25-year-old Farshad Rakhshani.

Farshad is alleged to have committed the murder during a group fight around four years ago. He was sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) and the victim’s family requested his execution.

At the time of writing, his execution has not 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, as the plaintiffs, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.

Ethnic minorities, the Baluch in particular, are grossly overrepresented in execution numbers in Iran. In 2023, at least 167 Baluch minorities including four women, were executed in 27 prisons across Iran, accounting for 20% of overall executions. This is while they represent just 2-6% of Iran’s population.