Disturbing Surge: 74 Executions in Iranian Prisons during January 2024

Hengaw: Fraiday, February 2, 2024

The Statistics and Documents Center of the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reports that at least 74 death sentences were carried out in Iranian prisons in January 2024. This alarming figure includes seven executions of political and religious prisoners, with a significant 46% linked to Kurdish individuals.

Breaking down the statistics, 46 cases were related to inmates facing drug-offense charges. Notably, identities of 73 executed inmates have been verified by Hengaw. The breakdown by ethnicity reveals that 34 Kurdish prisoners (46% of the total), 7 Azeri prisoners (9.5%), and 5 Baloch prisoners (6.5%) were among those executed. Additionally, two Afghan citizens faced execution in Iranian prisons during January.

Tragically, among the executed, seven detainees faced death sentence verdicts in January. Disturbingly, six of these cases were Kurdish political and religious detainees, and a female prisoner was executed in Sabzevar prison (Khorasan Razavi province).

Alborz province prisons reported the highest number of executions, totaling 32 cases in January. Furthermore, Khorasan Razavi province (7 cases), Hamedan province (6 cases), and Fars and Gilan provinces (4 cases each) witnessed substantial execution rates. It is noteworthy that the official declarations from the government and judicial system of Iran only accounted for 16% (12 cases) of the total executions.

Charge Breakdown:
- Drug-related offenses: 46 cases (62%)
- Political and religious activists: 7 cases
- Homicide charges: 16 cases
- Armed robbery charges: 5 cases

This surge in executions raises serious concerns about human rights and underscores the need for international attention and advocacy to address the situation in Iranian prisons.