In a cruel chain of events, the nine victims were placed in solitary confinement in the days prior to what can only be described as their ‘mass’ execution.
In a joint statement signed by more than 270 Members of the European Parliament last month, the European Union was called upon to “condition” its relations with Tehran in an effort to improve human rights for the Iranian people. They said they are concerned about the rising number of executions in Iran after Hassan Rouhani took office as President three years ago.
Amnesty International’s annual Death Penalty report for 2015 period wrote: “Iran put at least 977 people to death in 2015, compared to at least 743 the year before.” The human rights group added, “Iran alone accounted for 82% of all executions recorded”.
Over 2,400 executions have been carried out under Hassan Rouhani’s Presidency. In March, The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Iran stated that in 2015 the number of executions in Iran was greater than any year in the last 25 years.
The executions are “God’s commandments”, according to Rouhani, but many Iranians wouldn’t agree with him.
