Iran Executes Eight for Drug Offenses as Death Penalties Rise

The Islamic Republic has executed eight more prisoners over the past few days amid a significant spike in death penalties.

On April 14, 2024, Hamedan Prison executed Arsalan Hashemi, a man convicted of drug offenses, according to human rights group HRANA.

Hashemi had been sentenced to death in 2021. 

There have been no reports on the execution by Iranian authorities or domestic media outlets.

Five people convicted of drug-related offenses were also executed at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad on April 15, according to Haalvsh human rights news agency. 

On April 11, Zanjan Prison in Iran executed Esmaeil Hosniani, 29, and his wife, Marjan Hajizadeh, 19, according to the Iran Human Rights Organization. 

The couple was sentenced to death three years ago for drug-related offenses.

In recent weeks, the sharp rise in executions in the country sparked passionate calls from Iranian civil society to abolish the death penalty, with the hashtag #NoToExecution becoming increasingly popular among social media users.

According to the Iran Human Rights Organization's report, the Islamic Republic executed approximately 834 individuals last year.