At dawn on Monday, August 26, 2024, the execution of Barakat Ali Sanjarani, a Baloch prisoner convicted of murder, was carried out in Zahedan Central Prison. Sanjarani, approximately 25 years old, was sentenced to death four years ago for his alleged involvement in a fatal group fight in Zahedan.
On August 7, 2024, he was transferred to solitary confinement for the first time in preparation for execution but was granted a 10-day reprieve to seek the victim’s family’s forgiveness. After being returned to the general prison ward, Sanjarani recorded an audio message claiming his innocence, stating that the victim’s family knew he was not the killer and had promised to secure his release if he confessed. Despite this, his execution was carried out.
In 2023, at least 184 Baloch prisoners were executed in 26 cities across Iran, with Zahedan and Birjand prisons accounting for the highest number of executions.
