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Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 22, 2025: Yousef Esmaili, a Kurdish man on death row for drug-related offences, was executed in Bandarabbas Central Prison.
ccording to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, a man was hanged in Bandarabbas Central Prison on 20 May 2025. His identity has been established as Yousef Esmaili, a 38-year-old Kurdish father of two from Sardasht.
He was arrested four years ago and sentenced to death on charges of carrying and buying acid (LSD).
At the time of writing, his execution has not been reported by domestic media or officials in Iran.
Drug-related executions have continuously risen every year since 2021. According to IHRNGO’s 2024 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 503 people were executed for drug-related charges, of which only under 3% were announced by official sources. 17% of all drug-related executions in 2024 were Baluch minorities while they represent 2-6% of Iran’s population. In the first four months of 2025, at least 169 people were hanged for drug-related offences.
