In a distressing revelation, rights groups have disclosed that Iran executed a staggering 834 individuals in 2023, marking the highest toll since 2015. This surge in capital punishment, predominantly carried out by hanging, represents a 43% increase compared to the previous year.
The Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty jointly published this alarming report, shedding light on Iran’s intensified use of the death penalty. The figures, reaching over 800 executions for only the second time in two decades, underscore the severity of the situation.
The report attributes this spike in executions to Iran’s efforts to instill fear following the protests sparked by the controversial death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in September 2022. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of IHR, condemned the regime’s tactics, describing the death penalty as its primary tool to maintain control.
Among those executed are individuals linked to attacks on security forces during the 2022 protests, as well as a concerning escalation in drug-related cases. The report highlights a disturbing rise in drug-related executions, with 471 people put to death in 2023, a stark increase from previous years.
Of significant concern is the disproportionate targeting of ethnic minorities, particularly the Sunni Baluch community from Iran’s southeast. Despite constituting only around 5% of Iran’s population, Baluch individuals accounted for 20% of the total executions in 2023.
The lack of international condemnation, particularly amidst other global conflicts, is seen as emboldening Iran to continue its execution spree. With only 15% of executions officially announced by Iranian media, there’s a growing concern about the lack of transparency surrounding these actions.
As public hangings tripled in 2023 and the number of women executed reached a decade-high, rights groups are calling for urgent attention and action from the international community. Failure to address these human rights violations not only undermines efforts for justice but also sends the wrong message to Iranian authorities.
