Early this morning, Wednesday, August 14, 2024, the execution of at least one Baloch prisoner on drug-related charges was carried out in Bam prison. This prisoner, Hamed Shahbakhsh, 28 years old and a resident of Qaleh Bid in the Korin district of Zahedan, was executed.
Hamad Shahbakhsh was arrested in Bam in 2019 on drug-related charges and later sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court of Bam. On Monday, August 12, he was transferred from the general ward of Bam prison to solitary confinement for the execution of his sentence and said farewell to his family on Tuesday, August 13.
In 2023, at least 184 Baloch prisoners were executed in 26 different cities across Iran on various charges. Zahedan and Birjand prisons had the highest number of executions, with 54 and 31 cases respectively. Among these prisoners, at least four women were also executed.
The increase in executions in Iran, particularly among the Baloch community, has raised serious human rights concerns. These actions not only violate human and human rights principles but also require immediate and effective response from international bodies. The global community and human rights organizations must more strongly protest this blatant violation of human rights and use all available tools to pressure the Iranian government to stop the executions and uphold basic human rights.
