The human rights situation in Iran has taken a deeply troubling turn in recent years, marked by a significant increase in arrests and executions. The escalating crackdown on dissent and the surging number of executions are showing no mercy.
Political activists, journalists, religious minorities, and individuals exercising their right to free speech have increasingly become targets of imprisonment, often without fair trials or legal representation. This surge in arrests is part of a broader effort to silence opposition and suppress civil liberties.
Moreover, Iran’s use of capital punishment has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organizations, as the country has one of the highest execution rates per capita in the world.
In a recent report, the human rights organization Hengaw disclosed that the number of citizens arrested in Iran since the beginning of this year, with their identities fully verified, has reached 1,910.
According to Hengaw’s statistics, out of the total number of arrested people, 934 were citizens, and a concerning 23%, or 441 individuals, were Baluch citizens. Among those arrested, 59 citizens were adherents of the Baha’i faith. Moreover, 252 women and 168 children under the age of 18 found themselves among the arrested.
Previously, at the end of September, Hengaw published the statistics for arrests of this month. Based on the data registered in the Statistics and Documents Center of this Human Rights Organization, during September 2023, security forces in Iran arrested at least 463 citizens, marking a 75% increase compared to August, when 264 citizens were arrested.
In September, the regime’s institutions arrested at least 203 Kurdish citizens, constituting 44% of the total number of citizens arrested throughout Iran. Baluch citizens comprised 26% of the total arrestees, with 122 citizens arrested.
Statistics indicate that the human rights situation in Iran this year is deteriorating compared to the previous year. According to data published by the Human Rights Activists Groups, from October 10, 2022, to October 8, 2023, they registered 580 reports related to executions in Iran. During this period, 164 people were sentenced to death, with two of them receiving public executions.
Hrana’s statistics show that at least five of these people were women. Furthermore, during this time frame, the death sentences of 659 people were carried out, including seven public executions. Among the victims whose identities were verified, 17 were women, and one was less than 18 years old at the time of committing the crime.
Comparing this period to the previous year, the execution of death sentences has increased by at least 24%, and the issuance of death sentences has surged by 84%. Shockingly, 63% of these executions were carried out secretly or without any announcement in the media.
Most of these executions took place in several prisons, including Zahedan Prison, Adelabad Prison in Shiraz, Karaj Central Prison, Kerman Prison, Arak Prison, Rajaeeshahr Prison in Karaj, Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan, Urmia Prison, Khorramabad prison, and Hamedan Prison.
To have a glimpse of the regime’s cruelty, let us examine the executions implemented in the month of “Mehr” according to the Persian Calendar.
The regime’s continued mass executions of prisoners reflect its deep-seated fear of an uprising among the people. On Wednesday, October 18, the regime carried out the execution of 10 prisoners in Ghezel Hesar prison, and a Baluch citizen named Khodabakhsh was hanged in Zahedan Central Prison.
The following day, on Thursday, two prisoners, Vahid Kakavand and Fathollah Reshnu, met the same fate in Khorramabad. Additionally, Vahid Rashidi was executed in Aligudarz.
On Tuesday, October 19, the regime executed six more prisoners. Yaser Golzardian and Sajjad Moradi were executed in Khorramabad Central Prison, while Nader Karami met his end in Gorgan Central Prison. Ali Barzang Chaman, a Baluch citizen, and Nazem Abai were executed in Isfahan Central Prison, and a prisoner known as Ketabi met the same fate in Rasht Central Prison.
Earlier, on Sunday, October 15, another prisoner in Ardabil Central Prison was executed, and on Saturday, October 14, the regime executed a prisoner named Ali Asghar Cheragifar in Zanjan Central Prison. As a grim tally, the regime’s judiciary has executed a total of 69 prisoners since the start of October
