Emad (Ghanbar) Morgan, a 25-year-old prisoner, was executed at dawn on 14 October in Esfarayen Prison, North Khorasan Province, after being convicted of “premeditated murder”.

The Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned that Morgan, from the village of Sast in Esfarayen, was arrested around two years ago and sentenced to death for “premeditated murder”.

Under Islamic law, premeditated murder is a crime punishable by qisas (retribution in kind), which gives the victim’s family the right to retaliate.

According to KHRN’s data, at least 22 Kurdish prisoners were executed in September across several prisons in Iran – including Kermanshah Central Prison, Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, Tabriz Central Prison, Sanandaj Central Prison and Karaj Central Penitentiary – on charges related to drug trafficking and murder.