Amnesty International's Reaction to Two Executions in Iran: The Islamic Republic Descends into New Realms of Oppression

On Wednesday, January 24, Amnesty International issued a statement describing the execution of Mohammad Ghobadloo and Farhad Salimi by the Islamic Republic's authorities as a "terrifying descent" into a "new realm of oppression." Amnesty International stated that the Iranian authorities have intensified the issuance of death sentences as a tool for suppressing dissent and instilling fear in the populace following the "Women, Life, Freedom" movement. Diana Tahawi, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa, noted that the arbitrary execution of Mohammad Ghobadloo shocked his family and lawyer, who were awaiting his retrial, and stated that the Iranian judiciary officials at the highest levels secretly circumvented legal processes and blatantly violated fundamental principles of humanity and the rule of law. In its statement, Amnesty International emphasized that the "arbitrary execution" of Farhad Salimi also reveals the disproportionate use of the death penalty by Iranian authorities against oppressed ethnic minorities in Iran. The organization stated that Farhad Salimi was the fourth person from a group of seven Sunni Kurds who were arbitrarily executed since November 2023, all of whom had been sentenced to death over a decade ago in an unjust trial that lasted only a few minutes, based on "confessions obtained under torture." There are increasing concerns that Iranian authorities may swiftly execute three other men: Anwar Khazari, Kamran Sheikh, and Khosrow Basharat. Amnesty International added that the relentless killings by the Islamic Republic following the "Women, Life, Freedom" protests, which led to the arbitrary execution of hundreds following unfair trials last year, underscore the necessity to renew the proposals of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran and to extend the mandate of the UN fact-finding mission at the upcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council. This international body emphasized that in all cases, it opposes the death penalty "without exception" and considers it a "violation of the right to life" and ultimately a cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment. The executions of Mohammad Ghobadloo and Farhad Salimi took place in the early hours of Tuesday, January 24, at the Qezel Hessar prison in Karaj, prompting widespread reactions from human rights organizations, activists, and prominent political, artistic, and sports figures. Abram Paley, the Deputy Special Representative of the United States for Iran, stated on the messaging platform "X" on Tuesday that "Mohammad Ghobadloo should be alive today," adding, "But the Islamic Republic must know that we strongly condemn the sham trials and executions of all those who participated in the Women, Life, Freedom protests and consider these actions unjust." Prior to the execution of Mr. Ghobadloo, Amnesty International had stated in a statement that "the head of the judiciary must stop the arbitrary and illegal execution of Mohammad Ghobadloo, which has been suddenly scheduled for tomorrow." The organization emphasized that "the case of this young man with a mental disorder, who was arrested in the context of the Women, Life, Freedom protests, is based on confessions obtained under torture and has been conducted secretly."