Execution of Finger-Amputation Sentence: A Sign of the Islamic Republic’s Inhumane and Regressive Penal System
11-October-2025
Category: Finger Amputation Sentence، Prisoners
10 October 2025
News group: Prisoners – Amputation of Fingers –
Breathing in Confinement – The inhumane sentence of amputating four fingers of the right hand of a prisoner previously arrested on a charge of “theft” was carried out in Isfahan Prison.
According to Breathing in Confinement, on 10 October 2025, the amputation sentence against Mohsen Ashiri, a 37-year-old from Zazaran and resident of Isfahan, was executed in Isfahan Central Prison.
Six years ago, Mohsen Ashiri was arrested on a charge of “theft” and sentenced by the Isfahan Provincial Criminal Court to six months’ imprisonment and amputation of four fingers of his right hand. After serving his prison term and following the complainant’s consent (forgiveness), he was released. However, last month the court summoned him again and set a very heavy bail of 200 billion tomans. Unable to secure bail, he was re-arrested, and the amputation sentence was carried out in less than a month.
Carrying out amputation as punishment is an unmistakable form of state torture and a clear violation of Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which prohibit torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment. Such penalties flagrantly violate human dignity and impose a lifelong physical and psychological torment on the victim.
While ordinary citizens face harsh and inhumane penalties for minor financial offences, those linked to centres of power are treated differently: in a case of structural discrimination, individuals involved in major economic scandals are not only spared punishment but often receive political and economic backing and even promotion. For example, Babak Zanjani, despite a multi-billion-dollar case, has—according to the report—been released from prison with the support of state bodies and has resumed his business activities.
The Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran stresses that no circumstance—including reliance on domestic law or religious justifications—can legitimise punishments of this kind. Human dignity is inherent to every person, and violating it is unacceptable.