Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); 9 October 2026: Mahmoud Alishahi and Samad Hojatpour, two co-defendants on death row for drug-related offences, and Fazel Ghaseminejad and Mehdi Alizadeh, two men on death row for separate murders, were executed in Shiraz Central Prison. Mahmoud and Samad’s execution was carried out secretly, without prior notice and last family visits. Fazel was executed due to his inability to pay the 17 billion tomans blood money.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man were hanged in Shiraz (Adel Abad) Central Prison on 19 September 2026. He has been identified as Fazel Ghaseminejad (left photo), a 36-year-old old father of one from Jolfa. He was arrested four years ago and sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder by the Criminal Court.
An informed source told IHRNGO: “Fazel was convicted of murdering another individual during an altercation. The victim’s family had asked for 17 billion (approximately €60k) tomans as diya (blood money) but despite all their efforts, Fazel’s family were only able to raise 8 billion tomans by the deadline.”
Two other men were hanged at the prison on 4 October. Their identities have been established as 48-year-old Mahmoud Alishahi (middle photo) and 51-year-old Samad Hojatpour, two Bojnourd natives. They were arrested two years ago and sentenced to death for carrying 14 kilograms of heroin.
An informed source told IHRNGO: “Mahmoud Alishahi had worked as a labourer at a livestock farm for six years. He lived in rented accommodation and had two children in secondary school whom he hoped would be able to attend university. Furthermore, Mahmoud’s wife was ill, incurring monthly medical expenses of 9 million tomans. Unable to cope with the cost of living and his wife’s healthcare, Mahmoud was drawn into drug dealing solely in an attempt to improve his family’s financial situation. Mahmoud and Samad were executed without prior notification to their families and without being granted a final visit.”
Another man was hanged at the prison on 8 October. His identity has been established Mehdi Alizadeh(right photo), a 47-year-old father of two who was arrested eight years ago and sentenced to qisas for murder.
At the time of writing, their executions have 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 mitigating factors 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.
Crucially, while an indicative diya amount is set by the Judiciary every year, there is no legal limit to how much can be demanded by families of the victims. IHRNGO has recorded many cases where defendants are executed because they cannot afford to pay the blood money. Should the victim’s family choose execution, they are not only encouraged to attend, but also to physically carry out the execution themselves.
According to IHRNGO’s 2025 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 747 people including 48 women, were executed for murder charges, the highest number of qisas executions since 2010. Under 7% of the recorded qisas executions were announced by official sources. In 2025, IHRNGO also recorded 566 cases of families choosing diya or forgiveness instead of qisas executions. In the first nine months of 2026, at least 306 people were executed for murder charges.