Iranian Writers Association Criticizes Government's Brutality in Executions

The Iranian Writers Association, in a statement on Thursday, January 3, criticized the "brutality and savagery" of the Islamic Republic of Iran in issuing and executing death sentences, stating: "From the very first days of the establishment of the Islamic regime, the sound of gunfire and the gallows became an inseparable link with the existence of this regime and turned into the religion of the newly arrived oppressors against all opponents and dissenters." This organization, which advocates for freedom of expression and thought, accused the Iranian government of recognizing "no means other than the executioner to defend itself" and of continuously and brazenly portraying its "savagery and barbarism" as a divine and eternal law. The Iranian Writers Association pointed to the issuance and execution of several death sentences, including for political prisoners and those sentenced to death, adding: "During the rule of the Islamic Republic, the issuance of death sentences has never been surprising or new; however, the connection of this reactionary and medieval decree with the names of two Kurdish political prisoners has heightened media attention and sensitivities." The statement also referenced the issuance of death sentences for Pakhshan Aziz and Varisheh Moradi, two political prisoners accused of rebellion. In another part of its statement, the Iranian Writers Association supported the "Tuesdays Against Execution" campaign involving a group of male and female political prisoners in about 30 prisons and their collective hunger strike, expressing hope that execution, as an "irreparable and inhumane punishment," would be abolished forever. Previously, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Iran, May Sato, criticized the human rights situation and the increasing number of executions in the Islamic Republic's prisons, calling for a reduction in the issuance of death sentences in Iran. The execution of prisoners related to drug offenses has steadily increased over the past four years, with reports indicating that the number of executions last year rose by 84% to "471 executions" compared to the previous year. Despite the fact that the judiciary of the Islamic Republic does not officially announce many executions, independent human rights organizations' documentation shows that the number of executions in Iran indicates the government holds the first position globally in violating the right to life.