Alborz Province
Iranian province containing Karaj and Ghezel Hesar Prison; site of wartime executions.
Last refreshed: 21 April 2026
Why is Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj the main site of Iran's wartime executions?
Timeline for Alborz Province
Mentioned in: Fahim executed; fourth in same Karaj case
Iran Conflict 2026Background
Alborz Province is a province in north-central Iran, adjacent to Tehran, created in 2010 when it was separated from Tehran Province. Its capital is Karaj, Iran's third-largest city and a major industrial and manufacturing centre. The province sits at the foot of the Alborz mountain range that separates Tehran from the Caspian coast.
Alborz Province gained significance during the 2026 Iran conflict through Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj, one of Iran's largest detention facilities and a site of political and protest-related executions. On 20 April 2026, the execution of Ali Fahim at Ghezel Hesar was confirmed by human rights monitor Hengaw, the fourth execution in a single protest-related case. The war-era execution tally reached at least 404 according to Hengaw tracking, with Ghezel Hesar serving as a primary execution site.
The prison's location in Karaj, connected by motorway to Tehran, makes it administratively convenient for processing cases from the capital's security apparatus. Executions at Ghezel Hesar during the war period reflect the regime's use of capital punishment as a tool of social control during conflict.
