IRAN CONTINUES SECRET MASS EXECUTIONS IN VAKIL ABAD PRISON IN MASHHAD

May 25, 2011: close to 70 prisoners were executed in the Vakil Abad Prison in Mashhad, Iran, despite the fact that judicial officials of the Islamic Republic are still keeping their silence regarding the execution of drug related prisoners in the Prison and refuse to announce the implementation of such death sentences and the numbers of executed prisoners, credible sources have said.
These executions were carried out weekly and in groups. Despite the fact that limitations in reporting out of prison makes it difficult to determine the exact number of executions, these sources have confirmed 70 executions.
The sources have said that these executions were secretly carried out in groups in the Vakil Abad Prison in Mashhad.
The last rounds of executions in the past two months were carried out on May 16 when 10 prisoners were hanged. These executions targeted drug related criminals who had been sentenced to death. They were carried out without the knowledge and presence of family members and lawyers and even without notifying the prisoners from before…
A number of prisoners charged with narcotics crimes have said that they were denied due process and in many cases, the execution sentences issued by judges of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court were issued without adequate evidence and only on the grounds of confessions taken under duress and torture. (Sources: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran, 25/05/2011)