International Death Penalty News 2024, Issue 49: India, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United States of America, Vietnam

India

On Thursday, November 28, 2024, seven individuals were sentenced to death for the murder of 23-year-old Vishnu Mal. After Vishnu was murdered in October 2020, his body was chopped up. In addition to the death sentences, one person was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for helping to dispose of the body. Vishnu was kidnapped by the men as he was dating a girl one of them was interested in.

Indonesia

An Indonesian woman has been reunited with her family after being sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia. The woman, only identified as HMM, was sentenced to death in 2009 for the murder of her Saudi husband. Eventually, her husband’s heirs agreed to a 15-year prison sentence if she paid a fine of 400,000 riyals ($106,500). The fine was paid and she returned to her family after serving her sentence.

Iran

On Tuesday, November 19, 2024, Mohsen Fayazi and Omid Javdan were executed in Esfarayen Prison. They were convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are charged as intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the deceased is forced to choose between granting forgiveness, demanding diya (blood money), or demanding qisas. There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded and if the amount is not paid, the inmate is usually executed. Their executions have not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, 55-year-old Shirali Tarkeshband was executed in Rasht Central Prison. He was arrested about four years ago and sentenced to drug-related charges. His execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, 43-year-old Majid Talebian and 32-year-old Morteza Daneshvand were executed in Tabriz Central Prison. They were arrested about three years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. State officials and the media have not yet reported the execution.

On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, Mostafa Souri was executed in Kermanshah Central Prison. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are charged as intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the deceased is forced to choose between granting forgiveness, demanding diya (blood money), or demanding qisas. There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded and if the amount is not paid, the inmate is usually executed. His execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Wednesday, November 20, 2024, 34-year-old Kazem Heidari was executed in Isfahan Central Prison. He was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Thursday, November 21, 2024, 38-year-old Majid Jafari was executed in Shahre Kord Prison. He was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. A friend who was arrested with him blamed Majid for everything in exchange for a light prison sentence. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Thursday, November 21, 2024, 42-year-old Meisam Nouri and Arsalan Habibi were executed in Hamedan Central Prison. Both were convicted and sentenced to death on separate drug-related charges. Neither execution has yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Saturday, November 23, 2024, 27-year-old Nezamoddin Nouralhagh was executed in Shiraz Central Prison. Nezamoddin, an Afghan national, was convicted of committing a murder during a fight about a year ago. He alleges he was attempting to break up the fight at a fruit and vegetable market but was blamed for the death because of his nationality. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Saturday, November 23, 2024, Nader Ghanizadeh and 62-year-old Naser Salmani were executed in Jiroft Prison. Nader was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Naser was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. Neither execution has yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Sunday, November 24, 2024, 25-year-old Moslem Jafari and 45-year-old Hossein Souri were executed in Ghezelhesar Prison. Both men were Afghan nationals. They were convicted and executed on drug-related charges. State officials and the media have not yet reported the executions.

On Sunday, November 24, 2024, Fariba Maleki Shahivand was executed in Khorramabad Central Prison. Fariba, the mother of a five-year-old girl, was convicted of unintentionally killing her sister-in-law and mother-in-law during a fight about four years ago. She was sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. She is the 24th woman to be executed so far this year. Her execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Monday, November 25, 2024, Ashkan Moradi, Jalal Haj Babay, and Davoud Heidari were executed in Karaj Central Prison. They were convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. Their executions have not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Monday, November 25, 2024, 36-year-old Amirhossein Rahimi and 28-year-old Ali Rostami were executed in Isfahan Central Prison. Both were convicted in separate murder cases, with Ali being convicted of an honor killing, and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are charged as intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the deceased is forced to choose between granting forgiveness, demanding diya (blood money), or demanding qisas. There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded and if the amount is not paid, the inmate is usually executed. State officials and the media have not yet reported the executions.

On Monday, November 2, 2024, 40-year-old Reza Shahbazi Khalari was executed in Shiraz Central Prison. He was convicted of a murdering during a fight five years ago and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are charged as intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the deceased is forced to choose between granting forgiveness, demanding diya (blood money), or demanding qisas. There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded and if the amount is not paid, the inmate is usually executed. His execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, Farhad Khosravi was executed in Gorgan Central Prison. He was arrested about three years ago and sentenced to death for drug-related charges. His execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, 35-year-old Jafar Mirghasemi was executed in Zanjan Central Prison. He was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges after his arrested about three years ago. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, 32-year-old Ehsan Basati Valiabad was executed in Karaj Central Prison. He was arrested about four years ago and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. His execution has not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Tuesday, November 26, 2024, Jahangir (Moslem) Rahimi was executed in Saqqez Central Prison. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are charged as intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the deceased is forced to choose between granting forgiveness, demanding diya (blood money), or demanding qisas. There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded and if the amount is not paid, the inmate is usually executed. State officials and the media have not yet reported the execution.

On Wednesday, November 27, 2024, Morteza Pashayi was executed in Tabriz Central Prison. He was convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

On Wednesday, November 27, 2024, 30-year-old Seyed Davoud Rajabi was executed in Qom Central Prison. Seyed worked as a car mechanic before his arrest. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are charged as intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the deceased is forced to choose between granting forgiveness, demanding diya (blood money), or demanding qisas. There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded and if the amount is not paid, the inmate is usually executed. State officials and the media have not yet reported the execution.

On Wednesday, November 27, 2024, Hadi Ghiasi was executed in Nahavand Prison. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are charged as intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the deceased is forced to choose between granting forgiveness, demanding diya (blood money), or demanding qisas. There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded and if the amount is not paid, the inmate is usually executed. State officials and the media have not yet reported the execution.

On Thursday, November 28, 2024, 34-year-old Amin Maleki, Mehdi Shirvani, and Fardin Abdollahi were executed in Shiraz Central Prison. Amin was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Mehdi and Fardin were convicted and sentenced to death on drug-related charges. Their executions have not yet been reported by state officials or the media.

On Thursday, November 28, 2024, Kamran Hemati was executed in Arak Central Prison. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to qisas, that is, retribution in kind. Under Iranian law, all killings are charged as intentional murder and mitigating evidence is rarely considered. After conviction, the family of the deceased is forced to choose between granting forgiveness, demanding diya (blood money), or demanding qisas. There is no limit to the amount of diya that can be demanded and if the amount is not paid, the inmate is usually executed. State officials and the media have not yet reported his execution.

Saudi Arabia

Thirty-six-year-old Mohd Zaid was sentenced to death after being convicted of trafficking drugs. He was arrested on January 15, 2023.

Singapore

On Friday, November 29, 2024, 35-year-old Masoud Rahimi Mehrzad was executed by hanging. Masoud was born in Singapore but had an Iranian father. In 2013, he was convicted and sentenced to death for drug trafficking.

United States of America

On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, Christopher Collings was executed by the state of Missouri. Christopher was 49 years of age. He was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of nine-year-old Rowan Ford on November 3, 2007, in Wheaton, Missouri.

On Thursday, December 5, 2024, Marlon Harmon was scheduled to be executed in Oklahoma. His execution has been stayed and he is awaiting a new execution date.  Forty-four-year-old Marlon is convicted of murdering 55-year-old Kamal Chowdhury on August 18, 2004, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

An execution date of Friday, December 6, 2024, was requested for South Carolina inmate Marion Bowman, however, the Supreme Court did not act upon the request in a timely fashion, thereby preventing the execution from being scheduled and carried out. Forty-four-year-old Marion is convicted of murdering 21-year-old Kandee Louise Martin on February 16, 2001, in Branchville, South Carolina. 

Kris Mayes, the attorney general for Arizona, has announced that the state may resume executions beginning next year. In 2023, executions were halted after Governor Katie Hobbs hired a retired federal magistrate to review the state execution process. The former magistrate had now been dismissed as the Governor no longer had confidence in him since he had gone far outside her initial review request. Additionally, the director of Arizona’s corrections department has completed his own review and laid out several changes including revised training and additional documentation of the process. Governor Hobbs has stated that with the changes in place, she is prepared to have the state carry out executions. Attorney General Mayes has announced her intention to soon seek an execution warrant for Aaron Gunches. He was previously scheduled to be executed in 2023. Aaron is convicted of murdering Ted Price in December 2002. There are 111 inmates on death row in Arizona and 25 of them have completed their appeals process.

Forty-four-year-old Jason Alan Thornburg has been sentenced to death in Texas. He is convicted of murdering 42-year-old David Lueras, 33-year-old Maricruz Mathis, and 34-year-old Lauren Phillips in September 2001. After the murders, Jason dismembered the bodies and burned them in a dumpster. He allegedly murdered them for religious reasons and ate some of the body parts. Jason has also confessed to, but not been charged with, murdering Mark Jewell, his roommate, in May 2021, and his girlfriend Tanya Begay in Arizona in 2017.

Judge Deborah Oakes Even has unexpectedly recused herself from Robert Roberson’s case regarding the murder of his two-year-old daughter Nikki Curtis. Robert was scheduled to be executed earlier this year, however, his execution was halted after Robert was subpoenaed by the Texas House of Representatives to testify before them. Robert argues that Nikki’s death was caused by the medication she was taking and not him shaking her. Today, so-called “shaken baby syndrome” has largely been discredited. No reason has been given for the judge’s recusal from the case. Her recusal could result in a delay in giving Robert a new execution date.

A jury in Modesto, California has recommended that 41-year-old Richard Tyrone Garcia be sentenced to death for ordering the murder of 16-year-old David Siebels, 19-year-old Alyxandria Tellez, and 31-year-old Edward Joseph Reinig. Garcia was aiming to kill an 18-year-old, who ended up being the only survivor of the shooting. While the death penalty is still legal in California, no executions have been carried out since 2006, when a moratorium was placed on executions. That moratorium has not yet been lifted.

Vietnam

Sixty-eight-year-old property tycoon Truong My Lan was sentenced to death earlier this year for embezzling over $12 billion from Saigon Commercial Bank. She was also convicted of bribing government officials and violating bank lending rules. She is now appealing her death sentence and prosecutors are saying she needs to repay about $11 billion to avoid being executed. That would amount to about three-quarters of the total amount she is accused of embezzling. If her sentence is reduced, it would be to life in prison.