IRAN: 14 PRISONERS EXECUTED ON DRUG CHARGES AT GHEZEL HESAR PRISON

October 18, 2016: According to close sources, Iranian authorities hanged 14 prisoners at Ghezel Hesar Prison in the morning.
The prisoners were reportedly transferred to solitary confinement on October 17 in preparation for their executions.
According to close sources, some of the prisoners were transferred to Ghezel Hesar from Karaj and Fashavieh (Tehran) prisons.
The names of the prisoners who were executed have been reported as the following: From unit 2, hall 2 and 3 of Ghezel Hesar Prison: Abbas Karami (charged with 40 kilograms of narcotics, was imprisoned for five years before he was executed), Hamid Saber, Hamid Babaie (was imprisoned for nine years before he was executed), Hamid (Amir) Nazari (charged with 25 kilograms of heroin, was imprisoned for eight years before he was executed, Peyman Sabalani (was imprisoned for nine years before he was executed), Ganjali Chekezadeh (charged with two kilograms of crack, was imprisoned for ten years before he was executed), Reza Sabzi, and Khodamali Pirzadeh.
From Fashavieh Prison (Tehran): Khashiar Ahani and Mehdi Geravand. Karaj Central Prison: Saeed Zakaria and Morteza Amini, both from hall 2, Shahin Akbari, from hall 5, and Ali Akbari Reigi, from hall 4.
These executions have not been announced or confirmed by Iranian official sources, including the Judiciary or the media. The 14 prisoners were executed at a time when the death penalty for drug-related charges is under review in the Iranian Judiciary. (Sources: Iran Human Rights, October 19 2016)