Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); 16 October 2026: Mokhtar Abdollahnejad, a man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed Yazd Central Prison. His execution was carried out without prior notice, depriving him of a last family visit.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Yazd Central Prison on 15 October 2026. His identity has been established as Mokhtar Abdollahnejad, a 39-year-old father from Yazd. He was arrested around three years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges by the Criminal Court.
Mokhtar’s execution was carried out without prior notice, depriving him of a last family visit.
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 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.
In December 2025, IHRNGO published a report titled “A Village of Graves: Widespread and Systematic Drug Executions in Iran,” which provides an overview of drug laws and documents the systematic violation of due process and fair trial rights in drug cases. In the first nine months of 2026, at least 211 people were executed for drug-related charges.