International Death Penalty News 2024, Issue 19: Indonesia, Iran, Taiwan, United States of America

Indonesia

On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, the Medan District Court sentenced three individuals to death, including a woman.  All three were convicted on drug-related charges, with the woman being nicknamed the “drug queen.”  She has been identified by name as Nisa Binti Abdullah.  Her husband Al Riza, was also convicted and sentenced to death along with a third individual, Maimun.  All were convicted in the same case, along with three others, Narul, Hamzah, and Mustafa, who received sentences of life in prison.  The last execution in Indonesia occurred in 2016.

Iran

On Sunday, April 28, 2024, 35-year-old Sohrab Rafieian and 40-year-old Morteza Azimi were executed in Zanjan Central Prison.  Both men were convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges in the same case.  They were arrested about three years ago while carrying heroin and opium.  Their executions have not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 38-year-old Nasir Hariri was executed in Qazvin Central Prison.  He was convicted of murdering a baker with a scale stone about three years ago.  After his conviction, he was sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind.  Under Iranian law, all killings are classified as intentional murder, no matter the intent or circumstances.  After conviction, the family of the victims chooses if they will demand diya (blood money), grant forgiveness, or demand qisas.  State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution. 

On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, 60-year-old Khosro Babavaldini was executed in Kermanshah Central Prison. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas.  The murder occurred about 10 years ago. 

On Thursday, May 2, 2024, 35-year-old Yaghoub Amiri was executed in Ardabil Central Prison.  He was arrested about four years ago when he was discovered traveling with methamphetamines.  He was then sentenced to death.  State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Thursday, May 2, 2024, 53-year-old Mohammad Rasoul Khoshkar, 53-year-old Saeed Ranjdoust, Saber Aminabadi, and 40-year-old Mehdi Habibi were executed in Tabriz Central Prison.  Mehdi was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges after his arrest three years ago.  Mohammad was convicted of rapign and murdering a 15-year-old girl.  He was sentenced to death on both charges.  Saeed was arrested about five years ago.  He was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas.  Sabar was also convicted of murder, however, he claimed it was honor killing.  None of the executions have been reported by state officials or the media.

On Sunday, May 5, 2024, 35-year-old Ali Asghar Falah was executed in Qom Central Prison.  He was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind.  Under Iranian law, all killings are classified as intentional murder, no matter the intent or circumstances.  After conviction, the family of the victims chooses if they will demand diya (blood money), grant forgiveness, or demand qisas.  State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution. 

On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 40-year-old Khan Mohammad Eshaghzehi was executed in Semnan Central Prison.  Khan, an Afghani national, was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.  He was arrested about four years ago.  His execution was carried out without informing his friends and family, preventing them from having a last visit.  His execution has not yet been publicly announced by state officials or the media.

On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, two men and a woman were executed in Kerman Central Prison. The three inmates have been identified as 33-year-old Fariba Mohammadzehi, Abdollah Ozbekzehi, and Khalilollah Barahouyi.  They were also Baluch ethnic minorities.  All three were convicted and executed on drug-related charges.  Their executions have not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Thursday, May 9, 2024, 35-year-old Hassan Choopani, Abdollah Hassanzadeh Yangajeh, and Hassan Arabi Anabi were executed in Urmia Central Prison.  All were convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges.  They have all been in prison for the last 4-6 years.  State officials and the media have not yet publicly announced their executions.

Taiwan

After a fourth trial, a man identified only as Liu, had his death sentence commuted to life in prison.  Lui was convicted of raping, robbing, and murdering a woman on December 3, 2014.  Allegedly Lui was planning to murder his ex-girlfriend if she would not get back together with him, however, she was not home so he left.  Later that day, a woman who had just finished grocery shopping was attacked by Lui with a hammer.  He also attempted to steal the vehicle.  When he was unsuccessful, he struck the woman another 13 times with the hammer and raped her before fleeing.  The family of the victim is unhappy with the resentencing.

United States of America

On Thursday, May 2, 2024, a Texas jury voted to sentence 31-year-old Jerry Elders to death.  Elders was convicted of murdering 60-year-old Robin Waddell in 2021.  That day,  Elders was pulled over for a traffic stop by Officer Joshua Lott.  Elders shot the officer before fleeing the scene.  He then abducted Robin in her truck.  Elders shot Robin and then threw her out of the truck at the Joshua Police Department before fleeing again.  Officer Lott survived his injuries, however, Robin died from her injuries.  Attorneys for Elder allege that he was high on drugs at the time of his crime and should not be held fully responsible for his actions.  Elders and his team have already announced they plan to appeal the sentence.

The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals has ruled that there will now be 90 days between executions in the state.  In 2022, 25 inmates were scheduled for execution, approximately 30 days apart.  In 2023, it was requested that the interval between executions be extended to 60 days due to understaffing at the prison and the time-intensive nature of preparing for an execution.  Now, the interval has been set at 90 days.  Of the initial group of 25 inmates, eight have been executed, while several have had their execution dates stayed.  Some have been rescheduled, while others are awaiting their new dates.  This ruling also rejected a request to reschedule the dates as a group.  The dates will be scheduled as available, with at least a 35-day notice.  Seventeen inmates currently meet the conditions for having an execution date scheduled.