Prisoners Sharaf Khan Akbari and Sabina Esmaeilzadeh have been executed at Karaj Central Penitentiary, in northern Iran, in the past few days over drug-related offences.

Esmaeilzadeh, 30, who comes from Mahabad in West Azerbaijan province, was executed on 22 January, Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) has learned.

Esmaeilzade was a student of architecture who was arrested about six years ago and sentenced to death over drug-related charges.

Authorities at Karaj Central Penitentiary also executed Akbari, who comes from Harsin, Kermanshah province, on 18 January.

He was arrested a few years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.

According to statistics compiled by the KHRN, Iran executed at least 14 Kurdish civilians in January in the prisons of Karaj, Kermanshah, Arak, Salmas, Bandar Abbas and Ilam over alleged charges related to drugs and murder.