How Iran Executed 834 People in 2023 for Anti-government Riots

Latest reports show that Iran executed a staggering 834 individuals in 2023, marking the highest execution toll since 2015.

This surge in capital punishment comes as the Islamic Republic seeks to instill fear in the wake of widespread anti-government protests.

Among those executed, at least 22 were women, the highest number in a decade. Many of these women faced the gallows for murder charges, often in cases where they allegedly killed an abusive partner or relative.

Meanwhile, human rights organizations have long raised alarms about the harsh penalties these women face.

This alarming spike in executions is only the second time in twenty years that the number has exceeded 800, with 972 executions recorded in 2015.

Furthermore, rights groups such as Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty have accused Iran of employing the death penalty as a means to instill fear.

This strategy aims to maintain control following the protests that erupted after Mahsa Amini died in police custody in September 2022.

IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam emphasized, “Instilling societal fear is the regime’s only way to hold on to power, and the death penalty is its most important instrument.”

The report also highlights that Iran has executed nine men in connection with attacks on security forces during the 2022 protests, with a notable increase in executions for drug-related charges.

The number of individuals executed for drug offenses soared to 471 in 2023, a figure more than 18 times higher than in 2020.

The increase in drug-related executions has raised concerns among human rights advocates, with ECPM director Raphael Chenuil-Hazan criticizing the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for its lack of response, which he believes sends “the wrong signal to the Iranian authorities.”

Additionally, the report indicates a troubling trend of public executions, with the number of hangings carried out in public spaces in Iran tripling in 2023 compared to the previous year, totaling seven.

The surge in executions in Iran, particularly for anti-government activities and drug-related offenses, underscores the regime’s reliance on capital punishment as a means of control and intimidation.

This stark increase in executions raises urgent concerns about human rights and the rule of law in the country.