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Iran Carried Out “Staggering” Number Of Executions Last Year, Report

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A new report on Iran’s use of the death penalty shows that the Islamic regime in Tehran executed a “staggering” 834 people last year, a 43% increase from 2022. Published on Mar. 5, the report was jointly compiled by the Iran Human Rights group (IHRNGO) and the France-based Together Against the Death Penalty organization (ECPM).

According to the report authors, the Iranian regime carried out sweeping executions in 2023 in order to “instill societal fear” following the “Woman, Life, Freedom” nationwide anti government protests that broke out in 2022. The protests were triggered by the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who was arrested and detained for wearing her hijab incorrectly.

The report states that 471 of those executed had been charged with drug related offenses, compared to 256 in 2022. Two people executed had been charged with blasphemy. One man was executed for adultery. Two of those executed were juvenile offenders; 22 were women, the highest number executed since 2013.

“The Iranian regime uses the death penalty to prolong its survival,” IHR Director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said in the report. “We are dealing with a regime that is oppressive, corrupt and incompetent to solve people’s daily problems. Instilling societal fear is the regime’s only way to hold on to power, and the death penalty is its most important instrument.”

Urging the international community to hold Iran accountable, Amiry-Moghaddam added: “Increasing the political cost of the executions by international pressure can slow down the regime’s killing machine The inconsistency in the international community’s reaction to the executions in Iran is unfortunate and sends the wrong signal to the authorities.”

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