Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) – Ali Asghar Falah, a man sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder, was executed Qom Central Prison.
According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was executed in Qom Central Prison on 5 May. His identity has been established as 35-year-old Ali Asghar Falah who was sentenced to qisas for murder.
An informed source told IHRNGO: “Ali Asghar Falah was arrested for murder around three years ago and sentenced to qisas. He was transferred to solitary confinement on Friday, 3 May and executed on Sunday.”
At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Those charged with the umbrella term of “intentional murder” are sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) regardless of intent or circumstances due to a lack of grading in law. Once a defendant has been convicted, the victim’s family are required to choose between death as retribution, diya (blood money) or forgiveness.
In 2023, at least 282 people including two juvenile offenders and 15 women, were executed for murder charges, the second highest number of qisas executions since 2010. Only 20% of the recorded qisas executions were announced by official sources. In 2023, Iran Human Rights also recorded 857 cases of families choosing diya or forgiveness instead of qisas executions.