Mohammad Rashkan Chakerzehi Secretly Hanged for Drug Offences in Birjand

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Birjand Central Prison on 5 May 2026. His identity has been established as Mohammad Rashkan Chakerzehi, a 55-year-old Baluch man sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

An informed source told IHRNGO: “During his detention, Mohammad was held incommunicado, and his execution was ultimately carried out without prior notice, denying his family the opportunity for a final visitation. Prior to his arrest, Mohammad had undergone a liver transplant. While imprisoned, a critical lack of access to vital medication caused his health to severely deteriorate, forcing him to undergo open-heart surgery. Despite his precarious and deeply debilitating medical condition, his death sentence was both issued and implemented without notice to his family.”

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

Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2025 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 795 people were executed for drug-related charges, of which only 0.18% were announced by official sources. 13% of all drug-related executions in 2025 were Baluch minorities while they represent 2-6% of Iran’s population.