In the past week, Iran has executed a Jin Jîyan Azadî (Woman, Life, Freedom) protester, a Kurdish political prisoner, a political prisoner from the 1980s, and another protester detained during the mass protests of November 2019. The surge in executions coincides with the start of the war in Gaza, with at least 176 people executed since 7 October.
A staggering 707 executions were carried out in 2023 alone, according to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO). Of these, 390 were sentenced to death for drug-related offences, while 238 were executed for murder. The victims include one child, 17 women and six protesters.
“The international community, and especially European countries, must break their silence on the arbitrary execution of more than three people per day by the Islamic Republic,” said IHRNGO’s DirectorMahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, emphasising the escalating risk faced by political prisoners and protesters.
“The international community’s silence on executions is considered a green light by the Islamic Republic,” he added.
On Thursday 30 November, IHRNGO released details of the latest hangings, of a 62-year-old political prisoner from a case dating back to the 1980s and another person arrested during the mass protests of November 2019.
Human rights organisations had previously reported the executions of Milad Zohrevand, a protester arrested during the 40th day commemoration protests for Jîna Mahsa Amini, in Hamedan Central Prison on 23 November, and Kurdish political prisoner Ayoub Karimi in Ghezelhesar Prison on 29 November.
Iran has so far hanged eight demonstrators arrested during the nationwide Jin Jîyan Azadî protests sparked by the death of Jîna Mahsa Amini last year, and has more than 100 others on death row.
