Research Results: 75% Increase in Executions in Iran After Mahsa Amini's Death

A research report from the Open Data Iran database shows that the number of executions in the Islamic Republic has increased by 75% following the death of Mahsa Amini. The report, published on Wednesday, September 13, cites data from the Iran Human Rights Organization, stating that since September 16, 2022, more than 650 people have been executed in Iran. According to this report, statistical data on executed individuals between 2017 and 2022 indicates an average of 374 executions per year. Of the 654 executed citizens, 164 were executed between September 17 and December 31, 2022, and 490 have been executed from the beginning of 2023 until now. Thus, a 75% increase in the number of executions is evident as the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death approaches (September 16). The report predicts that if executions continue at this pace, the total number of executions by the end of 2023 will reach 721, the highest figure in the past eight years. A comparison of the number of executions in 2023 with 2017 shows a twofold increase in this type of punishment in Iran. According to published statistics, the monthly average of executions in 2017 was 31 per month, while in 2023, it has risen to 61 per month. Human rights organizations in Iran do not operate freely, and official authorities do not announce official execution statistics, with only some cases of executions mentioned in official media. Therefore, the exact number of executions by the Islamic Republic of Iran remains unclear. Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, called for an immediate halt to executions in his latest report to the UN Human Rights Council regarding the human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran this summer. According to Guterres's report, the execution of 582 Iranians in 2022 indicates a 75% increase in the number of executions compared to the previous year, which had 333 executions. Raha Bahreini, a researcher on Iran at Amnesty International, previously stated to the Persian section of Voice of America about the increase in executions in Iran that the Islamic Republic has many people on death row, and global pressure to address this issue must be increased.