Report on the Execution of Four Prisoners in Zanjan and Tabriz Prisons

Breathing in Confinement, 3 October 2026: The death sentences of at least four prisoners, who had previously been arrested in cases related to “drug offences” and sentenced to death by the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, were carried out in Zanjan and Tabriz prisons.

According to Breathing in Confinement, the news outlet of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, the four prisoners were executed on Sunday, 27 September and Monday, 28 September in Zanjan and Tabriz prisons. They have been identified as Fateh Shafiei, Hassan Mahdipour, Aref Dorosti and Shahin Babaei.

According to published information, Fateh Shafiei, 33, from Zanjan, was arrested approximately three years ago in connection with a drug-related case and was subsequently sentenced to death.

Hassan Mahdipour, 30, from Mianeh, was also arrested approximately two years ago on a charge of carrying six kilograms of drugs and was sentenced to death following his trial.

Aref Dorosti, 51, from Karaj, was arrested approximately three years ago on a charge of carrying 10 kilograms of drugs and was sentenced to death. The death sentences of these three prisoners were carried out at dawn on Sunday, 27 September in Zanjan Prison.

Regarding the fourth prisoner, Shahin Babaei, 27, published reports indicate that he was arrested approximately five years ago in connection with a drug-related case and was subsequently sentenced to death.

Shahin Babaei worked at a bicycle tyre repair shop. According to published information about his case, his employer had asked him to go to a bus terminal to collect a sack of rice and bring it back to the shop. Believing that the package contained rice, Shahin went to the terminal, collected the sack and transported it to the shop. He was arrested outside the shop after delivering the package.

Following Shahin’s arrest, his employer reportedly claimed that he did not know him. During the judicial proceedings, Shahin Babaei maintained that he had been unaware of the true contents of the package and had believed that he was merely transporting a sack of rice.

Despite this defence, he was sentenced to death by the judiciary. His death sentence was carried out in the early hours of Monday, 28 September in Tabriz Prison.

No Official Announcement by State Sources

At the time of publication of this report, no official source had announced the execution of these prisoners.

Annual Report on Executions in Iran

According to the annual report of the Statistics Centre of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, at least 2,616 people were executed in Iran during the Iranian year 1404. Of these, 12 were executed in public. The executions also included 67 women and eight juvenile offenders.