Iran | At Least 110 Executions in April

Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); May 3, 2025: At least 110 people were executed in April 2025. Three women, four Afghan nationals, 35 Baluch, 6 Kurdish and an Arab minority were amongst those executed.

The number of executions in the first four months of 2025 was 75% more than in the same period in 2024.

At the gathering for two probable child offenders executed in Dezful, the police (NAJA) Special Unit shot dead at least one of the participants.

Noting the significant increase in the number of executions in the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, Iran Human Rights once again draws the attention of the public, human rights organisations and the international community to the critical state of executions in Iran.

The organisation calls on governments that maintain diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic to place the issue of human rights and executions at the top of their discussions with the authorities.

The Islamic Republic’s extensive use of the death penalty has crossed all boundaries, turning executions into one of the most severe ongoing human rights crises in Iran.

IHRNGO Director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said: “The Islamic Republic’s extensive use of the death penalty has crossed all boundaries, turning executions into one of the most severe ongoing human rights crises in Iran. The people, human rights organisations and the international community must find new strategies to confront the execution crisis in Iran.”

April 2025 Executions at a Glance

At least 110 people were executed
Of those, only 2 (less than 2%) were announced by official sources
61 of those executed (more than 55%) were on death row for drug-related offences
39 people were sentenced to qisas (retribution-in-kind) for murder
9 people were executed for the security-related charges of baghy (armed rebellion), efsad-fil-arz (corruption on earth) and moharebeh (enmity against god)
Of those, 7 received capital punishment for alleged links to dissident political and religious group and one for espionage for Israel
1 person was on death row for rape charges
3 women were executed for drug-related offences
35 Baluch (31.8% of all executions)، 6 Kurdish and a Turkmen and an Arab minority were amongst those executed
One of the executed Baluch men was undocumented
3 Afghan nationals were executed

Furthermore, three of those executed are probable child offenders, IHRNGO is continuing its efforts to verify their age at the time of their alleged offences.

In the first four months of 2025, at least 343 people including 11 women were executed in Iran. Of those, 169 were for drug-related offences, 153 were for murder, 12 for security-related charges and nine for rape. Only 13 executions or less than 4% were announced by official sources. One person was also hanged publicly.

The number of executions in the first four months of 2025 were 75% higher than those recorded in the same period last year when 195 executions were recorded.

Source: Iran Human Rights, Staff, May 3, 2025

"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,
but by the punishments that the good have inflicted."

— Oscar Wilde

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