Tehran [Iran], November 13 (HBTV): Iran on Wednesday executed Ahmad Alizadeh, a 26-year-old man on death row for murder, for a second time after previously resuscitating him following a brief hanging, according to a rights organization.

Alizadeh, sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder after his arrest in October 2018, was first hanged in April but was pulled down after 28 seconds at the request of the plaintiffs, resuscitated, and returned to his cell, Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) reported. The organization, which tracks executions in Iran, stated that the victim’s family initially shouted 'forgiveness, forgiveness' while he was on the gallows, after which he was brought back to life with CPR.

Under Iran's sharia law, the family of a victim can choose to forgive or demand blood money in exchange for sparing the life of the accused. However, activists note that if the family of the condemned person cannot afford the blood money, the execution often proceeds. Alizadeh’s relative claimed he was a 'talented student who denied the charges and stated his confession was made under torture,' according to the NGO.

The first attempted execution took place on April 27 in Ghezel Hesar prison near Tehran. However, with no deal reached with the victim’s family, he remained at risk of execution and was hanged again on Wednesday morning, IHR reported.

'Iran’s regime is operating an execution machine,' said IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, who condemned Alizadeh’s second execution and accused authorities of using the death penalty to instill fear in society, particularly following the anti-government protests of 2022-2023.

According to IHR, executions in Iran surged in 2024, with at least 166 carried out in October alone, marking the highest monthly total recorded since 2007. Amnesty International has noted that Iran carries out more executions annually than any country other than China, though accurate data for China is unavailable, IHR said.   

(ANI)