Twelve prisoners have been hanged in different Iranian cities in the last few days. According to state media nine of the executions were carried out on 22 August while one was carried out on the 24. The other two prisoners were hanged on 20 and 21 August respectively.

Three prisoners were hanged in Ardebil (northwestern Iran) on 22 August. The prisoners, who were not named, were reportedly convicted of drug related charges: "Possession of one kilogram and 17 grams of heroin," "Possession and trafficking of 3 kilograms and 251 grams of heroin" and "Participation in trafficking and possession of 9 kilograms and 878 grams of opium".

Mehr, a state-run news agency in Iran reported on five other prisoners who were convicted of drug related charges and who were hanged in Arak Prison (central Iran)agai on 22 August. The prisoners were reportedly identified as: "A. K.",25, convicted of "Possession of 598 grams of crack"; "P. Y.",24, convicted of "Possession and trafficking of 890 grams of crystal"; "A. A.", 37, convicted of "Trading 1,800 grams of crack; "A. T.",35; and "M. A.",29, convicted of "Possession and trafficking of 2,300 grams of crack".

Another prisoner also convicted of drug related charges was hanged in public in the town of Hendijan (southwestern Iran), reported Fars, another state-run news agency. The prisoner, who was not named, was reportedly convicted of possession of 5 kilograms and 50 grams of crack.

Two young men were hanged in the northeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, reported the Iranian daily newspaper "Khorrasan". One of the prisoners, identified as "Y.", was convicted of murdering another man in 2004. He was reportedly hanged on Wednesday, August 21, 2013. The other man, identified as "M." and convicted of another murder in 2004, was reportedly hanged on Tuesday, August 20, 2013. Both the executions were carried out in Mashhad Prison.

According to official Iranian sources, at least 22 people have been executed in the last eight days in Iran. Additionally, there are unconfirmed reports on the execution of 12 people in the past three days.