TEHRAN — Iran executed nine individuals, including two Afghan nationals, at Qezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, an Iranian rights group reported on Friday.
The executions were carried out on Wednesday for charges including “premeditated murder” and “drug-related offenses,” the group said.
The two Afghan nationals were identified as Pacha, who was convicted on drug-related charges, and Amir, who was sentenced to death for premeditated murder during a confrontation in July 2022.
The remaining seven individuals included six convicted of premeditated murder and three sentenced to death for drug-related offenses, the watchdog reported.
This latest wave of executions follows earlier reports that three Afghan nationals were executed on January 1, 2025, at Ghezel Hesar Prison and Bandar Abbas Prison. Halvash, a human rights group, said the individuals, including two Afghans and one ethnic Baloch, were denied a final meeting with their families before their deaths.
Another rights group, Henvaw, also documented the execution of an Afghan national but did not provide further details.
Human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized Iran for its use of capital punishment, particularly against foreign nationals and ethnic minorities. Despite international condemnation, Iran remains one of the world’s leading practitioners of the death penalty, often citing charges such as drug trafficking and murder.
