Multiple New Executions In Iran Raise Human Rights Concerns
Human rights organizations have raised alarm over more executions in Iran, with at least nine individuals hanged in the past two days alone.
Human rights organizations have raised alarm over more executions in Iran, with at least nine individuals hanged in the past two days alone.
Four prisoners were executed for alleged drug-related crimes, while five men from Marand faced execution on charges of rape. The situation has garnered international attention as concerns mount over the Iranian government's capital punishment practices.
On Wednesday, Manouchehar Khazaei, a former member of the police force, was executed in Hamedan for drug-related offenses. Additionally, Hossein Nasiriyan and Hasan-Ali Shakib were hanged on Tuesday in Shiraz Central Prison, both on drug-related charges. Another prisoner, Ahad Hashemi, was executed in Hamadan prison on Wednesday after spending seven years in jail for drug crimes.
Meanwhile, the execution of five men from the northwestern city of Marand for alleged rape was carried out on Wednesday, though the identities of the executed individuals have not been disclosed by Iranian authorities or media.
The human rights organization Hengaw has further expressed concern regarding potential death sentences for four protesters from Sanandaj, accused of "moharebe" or "war against God" during the revolutionary uprising.
These executions coincide with a recent report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, highlighting a distressing trend of increased capital punishment in Iran. The report revealed that in 2022, 582 individuals were executed—a staggering 75% rise compared to the previous year's figure of 333. Notably, this included the execution of three juveniles.
In 2023, alarming parallels persist, with 94 executions recorded in January and February alone. The report also highlights the execution of several individuals allegedly involved in nationwide protests.
