Human rights association in Iran said that eight prisoners were hanged in the prison of Yazd (central Iran) on Thursday September 19, and four other prisoners were hanged in the prison of Qazvin (west of Tehran) on Saturday September 21. News of the executions were reported by the Iranian state media.

In addition, at least five prisoners were hanged in the prison of Zahedan (southeastern Iran) yesterday September 21, according to the website of "Human Rights and Democracy Activists in Iran" (HRDAI).

According to the official website of the Iranian Judiciary in Yazd (central Iran) eight prisoners were hanged in the prison of Yazd on Thursday. All these prisoners were convicted of drug related charges and there were three women among them said the report.

Since January 2013 the Iranian government announced it had carried out 223 executions. But human rights associations say the figure would be higher. So far they recorded 359 executions, included the ones officially announced.