Three More Executed in Iran on Drug Charges

The Islamic Republic's authorities have executed three prisoners amid a substantial rise in using the death penalty.

On May 18, three prisoners convicted on drug charges were executed at Meshginshahr Prison in Ardabil Province, according to the Iran Human Rights Organization. 

The individuals executed were Fardin Musazadeh, a 40-year-old father of two, Mehdi Khadem, 27, and Hatef Sha'abani, 30.

Musazadeh was arrested and sentenced to death five years ago. Khadem and Sha'abani were apprehended and similarly sentenced three years ago, all in separate cases involving drug offenses.

According to a report by Amnesty International, Iran has reached its highest level of death sentence executions in the last eight years, with the judiciary of the Islamic Republic executing 853 people in 2023 alone.

The report indicates that 481 executions, more than half of the total, were related to drug crimes. 

This marks an 89 percent increase in death penalties compared to 2022 when 255 people were executed for drug-related offenses, and a staggering 264 percent increase compared to 2021 when 132 individuals faced execution for similar charges.