Amnesty International: Iran's Prisons Have Become 'Sites of Mass Executions'; Urgent International Action is Necessary

Amnesty International described the increase in executions in Iran as 'horrific' and stated that Iran's prisons have become sites of mass killings, calling for urgent international action on this issue. In its new investigative report released on April 5, 2023, the organization announced that 853 people were executed in the prisons of the Islamic Republic in 2023, with at least 481 of those related to drug offenses. According to the report titled 'Don’t Let Them Kill Us,' the surge in the 'relentless execution crisis in Iran' since the protests began in 2022 shows how Iranian authorities have used the death penalty to instill fear among the populace and consolidate their power. The report indicates that the number of executions in 2023 is the highest recorded since 2015, showing a 48% increase compared to 2022 and a 172% increase compared to 2021. This alarming trend has continued into 2024, with at least 95 executions recorded by the beginning of the Persian year 1403. The report also raises alarms about the disproportionate impact of lethal drug war policies on poor and marginalized communities, emphasizing that the execution figures recorded by Amnesty International are the minimum, and the organization believes the actual number is higher. The Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International stated, 'The death penalty is abhorrent in all circumstances, but its widespread application for drug-related offenses after severely unfair trials in Revolutionary Courts is a gross abuse of power.' Diana Tahavi added, 'The Islamic Republic's lethal drug war policies exacerbate the cycle of poverty and systemic injustice and further entrench discrimination against marginalized minorities, especially the oppressed Baluch minority in Iran.' The Deputy Regional Director also referred to a wave of death sentences against protesters, social media users, and other dissenters on charges such as 'insulting the Prophet' and 'apostasy,' as well as vague accusations of 'moharebeh' (waging war against God) and 'efsad fil-arz' (corruption on earth) over the past year, stating: 'Protesters, dissenters, and members of oppressed ethnic minorities are among those executed, as officials have used the death penalty as a tool to instill fear among the people and suppress dissent. Without a decisive global response, Iranian officials will feel emboldened to execute thousands more in the coming years with complete impunity.' Amnesty International's report also highlights shocking findings regarding the ongoing violation of the right to life by Iranian authorities, stressing the urgent need for global pressure to halt all executions. It stated: 'Given the upcoming vote this week by the UN Human Rights Council on the extension of the mandate of the fact-finding mission on Iran and the Special Rapporteur on Iran, sending a clear message to Iranian officials about the continuation of international scrutiny over their dismal human rights records and ensuring the existence of an independent international investigation and accountability mechanism to collect and analyze evidence of crimes under international law is of paramount importance.' In the report 'Don’t Let Them Kill Us,' a section is dedicated to Revolutionary Courts and the issuance of death sentences therein. According to the report, in 2023, over 520 cases, approximately 61% of the death sentences, were issued by Revolutionary Courts. These courts lack independence, operate under the influence of security and intelligence agencies, and typically use 'confessions' extracted under torture in summary and severely unfair trials to issue death sentences. Amnesty International also described the increase in drug-related executions in Iran as 'staggering,' adding: 'The significant rise in the number of executions in 2023 is primarily due to the deadly shift in Iran's drug war policies following the rise of Ebrahim Raisi as head of government and the appointment of Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei as head of the judiciary, both in 2021.' According to the organization, in 2023, about 481 drug-related executions were carried out in Iran, accounting for 56% of all executions. This statistic reflects an 89% increase compared to 2022 (with 255 executions) and a 264% increase compared to 2021 (with 132 executions). The report notes that the Baluch minority in Iran, which constitutes only about 5% of the country's population, accounted for 29% (138 people) of drug-related executions in 2023. The report emphasizes that executions are a tool for suppressing dissent. Amnesty International noted that in 2023, following the nationwide protests for 'Women, Life, Freedom,' Iranian authorities increasingly used the death penalty to suppress dissent. This year, they executed six people for participating in the protests of 1401 and one person for the protests of Aban 1398. At least seven others have also been sentenced to death in connection with these protests and may soon be executed. This increase in executions has led to hunger strikes by death row inmates and their public appeals for the cancellation of sentences. In Ordibehesht 1402, three death row inmates, Majid Kazemi, Saleh Mirhashimi, and Saeed Yaghoubi, sent a note from prison just days before their execution and after unfair trials, pleading for help: 'Please don’t let them kill us.' In Dey 1402, another group of death row inmates also went on hunger strike and issued an open letter, calling for international support to save their lives. Amnesty International also described the execution of children as the peak of human rights violations in Iran, stating: '2023 also witnessed a deterioration of the situation with the execution of a 17-year-old boy and four other young men for crimes committed under the age of 18. The execution of Hamidreza Aziri, who was arrested at 16 and executed less than seven months later, is a shocking example of human rights violations in Iran. His trial was expedited, and Iranian authorities changed his age in domestic media to 18 years to evade responsibility.' In recent months, government officials have introduced a new directive from the head of the judiciary as a positive step toward reducing the execution of children. However, Amnesty International's investigations show that this directive does not address the fundamental problems of laws concerning minors and still grants judges the discretion to issue death sentences for juvenile offenders based on 'incomplete assessments of maturity.' Amnesty International has repeatedly called on Iranian officials to amend Article 91 of the Islamic Penal Code to abolish the death penalty for all crimes committed by children.