A report printed by the NGO group Iran Human Rights and Movement Against the Death Penalty has revealed grim statistics on capital punishment and executions within the Islamic Republic in 2023. The report discovered that at the least 834 executions had been recorded, an alarming 43% improve from the earlier yr. The annual rely is 582.
According to the report, a whopping 56% of these executed confronted loss of life for drug-related offences, a major improve from the earlier yr. His relentless crackdown on drug crimes claimed the lives of 471 folks, of which solely 5% had been formally introduced.
Additionally, homicide costs accounted for 33.8% of all executions, whereas safety crimes, together with acts deemed to be “enmity to God” (moharab), “armed rebel towards Islamic rulers” (baghi), and “corruption on earth” A associated crime (efsad-fil-arz) claimed the lives of 39 folks, together with protesters. Finally, 2.4% was awarded for rape and sexual assault. Blasphemy and adultery, however, accounted for lower than 1% of the executions carried out annually.
Iran carries out public executions
The report additionally revealed that seven folks met their destiny in public and that the executions had been carried out past conventional strategies. Women weren’t spared both, with at the least 22 going through last punishment, a determine not seen since 2013. Disturbingly, executions for lese majeste, adultery and rape spotlight the wide selection of crimes punishable by the loss of life penalty and lift questions on equity and equity. Proportionality of such sentences.
The Islamic Republic’s historical past of executing protesters has come below scrutiny in recent times, notably since nationwide demonstrations from 2016 to 2019 sparked protests in 2020. Notable circumstances embrace Mostafa Salehi and Navid Afkari, who had been sentenced to loss of life on costs of “mohalebe.” For the latter, the homicide was carried out, however the loss of life penalty was carried out amid public outcry and worldwide stress resulting in the discharge of different protesters often known as loss of life row inmates. Iranian males pasting election posters on the wall throughout the last day of the election marketing campaign in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2024 (Credit: MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS)
Nevertheless, among the November 2019 demonstrators are nonetheless in danger, with Mohsen Shekari and Majdreza Rahnavard in December 2022, and eight extra in 2023. The loss of life penalty continues to be carried out, together with executions for security-related and homicide costs. Information about these circumstances is opaque, usually accompanied by disinformation and intimidation of relations, and protesters are tortured to acquire confessions.
The authorized course of lacks due course of, with protesters denied entry to attorneys and going through present trials. Most are going through security-related or murder-related costs, and have drawn worldwide condemnation, notably condemning the loss of life sentences and executions of peaceable protesters in Iran by the EU parliament in January 2023. An instance of it is a decision calling for an instantaneous finish to such practices. .
Over the previous 45 years, Iran has stood out as one of many few international locations to hold out capital punishment in public, a follow that has been repeatedly condemned by each the worldwide group and civil society inside Iran. The United Nations Secretary-General and the Special Rapporteur on the scenario of human rights within the Islamic Republic of Iran have criticized this continued follow, following the federal government’s rejection of suggestions to halt public executions throughout Iran’s Second Universal Review. expressed concern.
Although there was a brief decline in executions in 2007 and 2008 following directions from then-Attorney General Mahmoud Shahroudi, the quantity skyrocketed after the 2009 post-election protests, and since 2011 Until 2015, the typical quantity was 50 to 60 per yr. Public executions have decreased, with 33 reported in 2016, 31 in 2017, and simply 13 in 2018 and 2019. Amid the coronavirus pandemic, public executions declined additional, with one case reported in 2020 and none in 2021, earlier than resuming in 2022. Comes with 2 circumstances. However, in 2023, the quantity elevated considerably, with seven public executions recorded, marking a worrying reversal of the development.
Lack of transparency concerning the quantity and causes for executions
A good portion of executions in Iran (at the least 709 in whole) should not formally introduced, accounting for 85% of the overall. Of these silent executions, solely 5 p.c of the 471 circumstances had been disclosed by official sources as associated to drug offenses, though such costs accounted for 63 p.c of silent executions. Murder circumstances accounted for 31% of unreported executions. People demonstrating in Tehran, Iran, on November 4, 2023, to commemorate the forty fourth anniversary of the US expulsion from Iran. (Credit: MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS)
Tehran/Alborz province recorded the very best variety of unannounced executions with 128, adopted by Kerman province with 66 and Sistan and Baluchistan province with 62. Shockingly, at the least 30 folks had been secretly executed with out notifying their households or attorneys, all from the Baluch minority, elevating issues in regards to the lack of transparency and due course of in Iran’s authorized system. It highlighted that.
The report urges the worldwide group to prioritize addressing human rights abuses and Iran’s compliance with its treaty obligations in future negotiations, to help UN missions targeted on human rights in Iran, and to strengthen It requires the ratification of worldwide treaties.
Other suggestions embrace placing stress on Iran to finish public executions, abolish the loss of life penalty for minor crimes and cease executing minors. Furthermore, the worldwide group is inspired to situation bilateral and UN funding on Iran’s compliance with human rights requirements and to make sure that worldwide cooperation doesn’t help human rights violations.
Finally, the report additionally calls on Iran to right away finish the loss of life penalty, ratify the worldwide conference towards torture, and strengthen cooperation with UN human rights establishments by permitting them entry to and provision of needed info. . It additionally recommends that Iran make sure the independence of the judiciary via structural reforms, dismantle the revolutionary courts, and assure the proper to a good trial in keeping with worldwide requirements. Finally, we name on Iran to be clear about loss of life sentences and executions, to permit public debate on the loss of life penalty, and to launch all political prisoners.
Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) is an impartial, nonpartisan human rights NGO based in 2005 by Mahmoud Amily Moghaddam. It is registered in Norway as a global human rights group and screens, paperwork and reviews severe human rights violations within the Islamic Republic. .
Amily Moghaddam, an Iranian-Norwegian scientist and human rights activist who serves as president and spokesperson, mentioned the group has a large community within the nation, which provides it a extra correct image of human rights violations, together with the loss of life penalty. It is alleged that it’s potential. and a bloody crackdown on protests. The report can be used as a reference by the worldwide group and the United Nations.
“Our purpose in documenting and publishing reviews like that is to lift consciousness, strengthen the worldwide response to the Islamic Republic’s violations, and in the end educate nationwide leaders about their crimes. “We want to carry them accountable for the atrocities they dedicated,” he mentioned.
“The numbers on this report are staggering. At least 834 executions. This means 259 greater than in 2022 and 500 greater than in 2021,” mentioned the NGO founder. . “This is stunning, horrifying and unprecedented. It additionally exposes the unhappy reality that the majority of these executed belong to poor and marginalized teams in Iranian society.”
Amily Moghaddam added that there was one optimistic a part of the report. “More than 857 homicide victims’ households have chosen forgiveness and diya (blood cash) as a substitute of the Kisas loss of life penalty (a watch for a watch). This quantity exceeds the variety of Kisas circumstances that ended within the loss of life penalty. This is encouraging, as unusual Iranians are more and more becoming a member of the battle to abolish the loss of life penalty.
“We hope that this report will contribute to elevating the political prices of executions for the Iranian regime,” he concluded. “This can be potential via a stronger worldwide response and elevated public participation on this battle.”