Executions in Iran… Social reform or intimidation?

Iran has executed no fewer than 354 individuals in the past 6 months, including 206 individuals accused of drug trafficking. This number represents a 126% increase in executions compared to the same period last year.

The Iranian Human Rights Organization pointed out in a report, excerpts of which were presented by Iran International channel yesterday, the “acceleration of executions in the Iranian regime.” 

It called on the international community to break the silence and attempt to save the lives of those sentenced to death in Iran by condemning the killing of citizens by the Iranian regime. 

The report states that “among those executed in the first 6 months of 2023, at least 122 were executed for intentional murder, 206 for drug-related crimes, and 4 for rape.”

Ten prisoners were sentenced to death on political, security, or blasphemy charges, and one person was sentenced to death on espionage charges.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the director of the organization, said, “The goal of the executions is to intimidate society and prevent protests against the regime.” He added, “The victims of most low-cost executions by the Iranian regime’s execution machine are drug offenders who belong to the most vulnerable segments of society.” 

Amiry-Moghaddam emphasized, “We particularly urge the United Nations office dealing with drug crimes and countries that fund joint projects with the Iranian regime to break their silence regarding the execution of more than 206 drug offenders and to impose conditions on continued cooperation with Tehran by halting executions”.

It should be noted that in the first 6 months of 2022, 261 individuals were executed, and in 2021, 121 individuals were executed.

Amnesty International had previously announced in a press statement that “the number of executions in Iran has tripled this year,” declaring that Iranian regime’s prisons have become “killing centers.”