Mass Executions for Drug Offenses
Human rights organizations have documented a surge in executions in Iran, with at least 19 prisoners put to death on drug-related charges between April 11th and 19th, 2024. These executions occurred in prisons across the country, including Urmia, Karaj, Mashhad, Ahvaz, Tabriz, Hamedan, Isfahan, and Zanjan.
On a single Sunday, media outlets reported the execution of at least nine prisoners in various cities. HAALVSH, a human rights website, documented the execution of five prisoners in Kerman prison and two in Chabahar prison, all on drug trafficking charges. The same day, news emerged of two more executions at Ghezel Hesar prison in Karaj. These individuals were sentenced in separate cases but faced the same fate.
These executions are likely just a fraction of the total number carried out. The Iranian regime judiciary, facing international criticism, is suspected of underreporting drug-related executions. HAALVSH identified four of the executed prisoners in Kerman: Ahmadreza Miri, Shamsuddin Keshani, Shaukat Shahbakhsh (Darkzahi), and Jamal Mardani. A fifth Baloch citizen was also executed, but their identity remains unknown. Similarly, reports from Chabahar identified Saeed Jadgal and Mohammad (Mohammadjan) Anjamrooz as the executed prisoners there. All seven individuals had their final meetings with family on Saturday before their executions on Sunday morning.
In Karaj’s Ghezel Hesar prison, Hengaw, a human rights organization, reported the execution of two prisoners on drug charges: Alireza Shahbaz (38) from Tehran and Ali Jafar Taheri from Delfan city. This news follows a report by Hrana on Saturday, which documented the transfer of two individuals in Qezal-Hesar prison to solitary confinement in preparation for execution on drug-related charges.
The Roots of Addiction
The rise in executions is a response to a growing crisis: widespread drug addiction among Iranian youth. Social workers attribute the increase in drug use to factors like poverty, political instability, and economic hardship. The Iranian government, however, adopts a repressive approach, resorting to executions of drug dealers and traffickers as a solution.
Amnesty International’s April 4th report, “Don’t Let Them Kill Us,” revealed that out of 853 executions documented in 2023, a staggering 481 were for drug offenses – over half the total. This represents an alarming increase: 89% from 2022 and a staggering 264% from 2021.
Lack of Transparency and a Worsening Problem
Despite the crisis, Iranian regime authorities remain opaque about the true extent of the problem. Social organization directors and officials from the anti-narcotics headquarters refuse to provide accurate data on drug prevalence and the number of addicts. However, reports from social workers, journalists, and even some members of parliament paint a concerning picture.
Drug use has become alarmingly widespread, reaching as young as elementary school students, with some starting as early as 10 years old. In a 2022 report by the Hamdeli newspaper, former Education Minister and current parliament member, Hamidreza Hajibabaei, acknowledged the situation but refused to disclose statistics on addicted students.
Further evidence of the dire situation comes from a December 2023 meeting between Mohammad Mehdi Bolandyan, the political and judicial deputy of the General Inspection Organization, and Eskandar Momeni, the secretary general of the anti-narcotics headquarters. Bolandyan reportedly stated that “the economy of prisons is supported by drugs,” highlighting the dependence on a system seemingly fueling the very problem it aims to address.
A February 2024 report by Etemad newspaper surveyed the most commonly used drugs and their prices across Iran’s 31 provinces. The report revealed a significant shift in the pattern of addiction over the past seven years. Industrial drugs like heroin, and meth has become the major consumed drugs, replacing opium and other less dangerous drugs.
