Concerns Over Rising Executions in Iran
The United Nations has highlighted a “historic surge in executions” taking place in Iran, as noted by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Since January, over 1,000 individuals have been executed.
The OHCHR reported that, at the time of their statement, up to nine people were being executed daily, with most being charged with murder or drug offenses.
On October 13, around 1,500 inmates on death row at Gezer Hessar Prison initiated a hunger strike to draw attention to their plight. This included 17 members from the Iranian opposition group Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK).
A representative from the National Council of Resistance in Iran (NCRI) indicated that the regime had executed two MEK members on July 27 but had yet to return their bodies to their families.
The hunger strike spread to other wards within Gezer Hesar and even to the infamous Evin Prison. The NCRI claimed that prison personnel attempted to undermine the strike by releasing footage showing inmates eating, presumably to falsely assert that there was no hunger strike occurring.
The striking prisoners stated, “This ongoing oppression and the loss of lives among prisoners and youth has worn down our patience. Each day, we see cellmates led to their death, and we live in constant fear. This is a dire moment for us and our families.” They called for the abolition of the death penalty in Iran.
The NCRI also reported a spike in executions, specifically noting 38 executions from October 13 to October 15, contributing to an alarming total of 2,008 documented executions.
Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI’s incoming president, urged immediate action from the United Nations, UN Security Council member states, the European Union, and international human rights organizations to halt the current crisis under the leadership of Iranian authorities.
Iranian detainees have made appeals to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his intervention.
In response to inquiries about potential sanctions against Iranian officials amid these rising execution rates, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department vehemently condemned the Iranian regime for using capital punishment as a tool for suppressing basic human rights, like peaceful protests.
The spokesperson emphasized the need to hold the Iranian regime accountable for its brutal actions and the pattern of torture and unfair trials, which often rely on coerced confessions as evidence.
Guterres’ spokesperson reaffirmed the UN’s steadfast opposition to the death penalty both in Iran and globally.
Earlier this month, the UN Human Rights Council faced backlash after appointing Iran to its advisory committee, which many criticized as problematic given the country’s human rights record.
