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| Public execution in Iran |
At least 411 prisoners have been executed in Iran from the beginning of January
2014 to the end of June of the same year. This indicates that the execution
wave, which recommenced after the most recent Iranian presidential election, is
continuing. According to reports by Iran Human Rights (IHR), more than 870
people have been executed since the election of Mr. Hassan Rouhani in June
2013. IHR calls on the international community to take serious measures to stop
the execution wave in Iran.
1 year after the Iranian presidential election of June 2013, and despite
improvements in relations between the international community and Iran, a
recent report by Iran Human Rights (IHR) shows that the use of the death
penalty is higher now than in 2 decades. According to the latest report by IHR,
at least 411 people have been executed in the first 6 months of 2014, and at
least 870 people have been executed during the 1st year after the presidential
elections (between July 1, July 2013 and June 30, 2014). This is an average of
more than 2 executions in Iran every day. Among those executed so far in 2014,
there have been at least 8 juvenile offenders and 6 political and civil
activists.
IHR calls on the international community to take serious measures to stop the
execution wave in Iran. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR says:
"The increase in the number of executions after the Iranian presidential
election of June 2013 is dramatic and needs special attention from the
international community. We support Ms. Navi Pillay's call to include human
rights in the nuclear talks taking place between the 5+1 and Iran."
Amiry-Moghaddam added: "The arbitrary executions going on in Iran must have
consequences for the Iranian authorities."
Last week the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay
said: "Talks between Iran and 6 world powers aimed at clinching a deal on
Iran's contested nuclear program should include human rights concerns."
In November 2013, World Coalition against the Death Penalty called on the UN
and EU to put the death penalty on top of the agenda on Iran talks.
According to IHR's report on the death penalty, in the first half of this year
166 executions have been announced by official Iranian sources while 245
additional executions have been reported by human rights groups and confirmed
by several independent sources. 43% of the executions in Iran are reportedly
based on murder and 42% of the executions are reportedly due to drug-related
charges. At least 8 of those executed in 2014 were juveniles (under 18 the age
of 18) at the time of committing the alleged offence.
Last year at least 687 people were executed, according to IHR's 2013 annual
report on the death penalty. 68% of these executions took place after the
election of Hassan Rouhani.
Source: Iran Human Rights, July 9, 2014
