Abbas Rashidi Executed in Qazvin

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Qazvin (Choobindar) Central Prison on 24 August. His identity has been established as 45-year-old Abbas Rashidi who was sentenced to death for drug-related offences by the Revolutionary Court.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “Abbas Rashidi was a father of two and a painter prior to arrest. He was arrested three years ago.”

At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2023 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 471 people were executed for drug-related charges, an 84% increase compared to 2022 (256) and about 18 times the average of drug-related executions in 2018-2020. In the first six months of 2024, at least 147 people were executed for the charges.