Nigerian and Ghanian embassies in Tehran have formally demanded explanation as to why two Africans, a Nigerian and a Ghanian were secretly executed without notifying the embassies of the affected men which is contrary to standard international practice for the government of a death row inmate abroad to be notified before the sentence is carried out.

The two men, Paul Chindo and Akwasi Akuaba from Nigeria and Ghana respectivelly.

While Chindo was hanged in October at Vakilabad prison in Mashhad,Akwasi Akuaba, from Ghana, was executed in August

"We are very concerned. They have told us nothing and not responded to our questions,¯ an attachee at the Ghanaian Embassy, who did not wish to be named, said.

"There are other (Ghanaian) men in jail here. We want to make sure the same thing does not happen again. I have booked an appointment with the judiciary to get an explanation."

A Nigerian diplomat said: We have written to the Iranian Foreign Minister asking him to verify this report. Usually the Foreign Ministry would write a letter informing us that the sentence will be carried out. We did not receive any letter.

"We have a list of around 30 Nigerians in jail here. We still do not know for sure who it is."

Less than a week ago, a human right group based in Iran,The International Campaign for Human Rights wrote to the Nigerian and Ghanina government alerting them of the execution: advising them on the need to press for explanation, "The governments of Nigeria and Ghana should press Iranian authorities to provide a full and transparent account concerning the alleged execution of their citizens inside Iran" a statement by the group stated.

The Campaign sent letters to Nigerian Foreign Minister Henry Odein Ajumogobia and Ghanaian Foreign Minister Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni informing them about credible reports of two executions of Africans carried out at Vakilabad prison in Mashad. On 26 October 2010, Paul Chindo, a citizen of Nigeria, was reportedly executed with nine other Iranian men, while on 18 August 2010, a Ghanaian citizen, Aquasi Aquwabe, was allegedly put to death in another group execution.

The Campaign has issued several reports of allegations of multiple, unannounced group executions of inmates inside Vakilabad prison. For months, former prisoners and sources with access to official information have been telling the Campaign about dozens of executions conducted by prison officials in 2009 and 2010.