Overview of the Human Rights Situation in Iran in January
Based on the registered statistics at the Center for Statistics and Documentation of Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM), and through extensive research conducted in this field, the final figures of executions in January 2024 have been obtained. It should be emphasized that the actual numbers are significantly higher, as most executions in Iran are carried out secretly.
In January 2024, the statistics of executions in Iran have seen a significant increase, with the Iranian judiciary executing 88 individuals. This marks a 39% growth compared to January 2023 when the Iran regime executed 63 people, and a staggering 91% growth compared to January 2022 when 46 individuals were executed. These calculations indicate a disturbing upward trend in the number of executions in Iran, and the Iranian judiciary has employed a ruthless approach in carrying out these executions, which is highly concerning.
In the January 2024 report, we intend to explore the following aspects of executions:
- Execution of political prisoners
- Execution of women
- Secret Executions and Publicly Announced Executions
Execution of political prisoners
In January 2024, the Iranian Regime executed 7 political prisoners.
- In the early morning of Tuesday, January 2, 2024, the execution sentence of Davood Abdollahi, a Sunni prisoner, was carried out in Karaj’s Qezel Hesar Prison. He had endured more than thirteen years of imprisonment. The execution of Davood Abdollahi took place without prior notification to his family.
- In the early morning of January 23, 2024, the death sentence of the 23-year-old Mohammad Ghobadlou, was carried out. He was the ninth protester of the nationwide protest of 2022, who was executed after an unfair trial. Mohammad Ghobadlou’s defense lawyer wrote on his Twitter account regarding the execution order: “There is no legal authorization for the execution of this sentence, and undoubtedly, it would be considered murder.”
- On the same day, Tuesday, January 23, 2024, Farhad Salimi, a Sunni political prisoner, was executed in Qezel Hesar prison in Karaj. Farhad Salimi from Saqqez was sentenced to death on charges of “waging war on God” and “corruption on Earth.” In this way, in one day, two political prisoners were executed in Iran.
- Four Kurdish political prisoners Pejman Fatehi, Vafa Azarbar, Mohsen Mazloum, and Hajir Faramarzi, were executed in the Qezel Hesar Prison of Karaj on Monday, January 29, 2024. These 4 political prisoners were executed after an unfair legal procedure without the right to defend themselves. Four Kurdish political prisoners were hanged on charges of collaborating with Israel.
Execution of women
On the last day of January 2024, the Iranian judiciary carried out the execution sentence of a 27-year-old young woman named Zahra Nazaryan in Sabzevar Prison. Zahra Nazaryan had been sentenced to death for the murder of her sister’s husband. She was executed after enduring four years of imprisonment. The authorities of Sabzevar Prison and relevant institutions have not announced the execution of this female prisoner.
Last year, Iran became the largest executioner of women in the world by executing at least 25 women in 2023. In 2022, Iran ranked first as the largest executioner of women worldwide.Iran remains the leading country in the execution of women worldwide.
Secret Executions and Publicly Announced Executions
In the first month of 2024, 73 prisoners were executed secretly and without media coverage, while only 15 executions were made public. Therefore, 82% of the executions in Iran were carried out secretly. Consequently, it is evident that the numbers and figures of executions are significantly higher in Iran, but unfortunately, they do not reach independent media outlets due to the silence surrounding them.
Call on International Human Rights Authorities
Iran-HRM – The Iran Human Rights Monitor (IranHRM) calls upon the United Nations, the European Union, and their member states not to remain silent in the face of these executions. It condemns these state-sanctioned massacres and demands immediate and practical action to stop this bloodshed.
We also request the United Nations to cancel the visit of Ms. Nada Al-Nashif, the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, to Iran. This is because the Iranian regime will be using this visit to justify and perpetuate its repression, executions, and crimes against humanity in Iran.