The Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM) has endeavored in its monthly report to provide an overview of the human rights situation in Iran for the month of September 2024. However, given that the judiciary in Iran continues to extensively employ executions as the most ruthless and inhumane form of punishment, the focus of this report is on executions and death sentences in Iran.
Based on the statistics recorded by the Center for Statistics and Documentation of Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM), and with extensive research conducted in this area, the final number of executions in September 2024 has been obtained. Although we emphasize that the actual figures are significantly higher, as most executions in Iran are carried out without media coverage and in media silence.
In the September 2024 report, we intend to explore executions along the following axes.
- Total Number of Executions
- Execution of Child Offenders
- Public Execution
- Death sentences for political prisoners
- Media-Uncovered Executions and Media-Covered Execution
Total Number of Executions
In September 2024, the judiciary in Iran executed 75 prisoners. This means, on average, one person was executed in Iran every 10 hours during the month of September. Despite the fact that the judiciary in Iran intentionally carries out the fewest executions in September each year due to the presence of the Iranian regime’s president at the United Nations, in September 2024, there was a threefold increase compared to September 2023 when 25 individuals were executed. These calculations indicate that the hypothesis of accelerating the implementation of death sentences in the month of October is likely.
Excluding the month of August, during which 110 individuals were executed, marking the highest number of executions in 2024, the statistics show that the number of executions in September was higher than the past six months. The judiciary in Iran has employed a ruthless trend in executions, sparking serious concerns among human rights activists.
Execution of Child Offenders
Despite Iran’s accession to the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1993, the regime continues to violate the provisions of the convention regarding the prohibition of executing individuals who committed crimes while under the age of 18. In 2023, the Iranian Judiciary executed five individuals under the age of 18. In 2024, the execution of the first Child Offender also took place in the month of September.
Mehdi Jahanpour was hanged in Shiraz Central Prison on Monday, September 16, 2024. Mehdi was born on December 8, 2002. And in April 2019, when he was only 16 years and three months old, he was arrested on charges of murder and sentenced to death (qesas).
Mehdi Jahanpour, a Lur citizen residing in Firouzabad County, Fars Province, in addition to having his death sentence as a Child Offender carried out by Iranian authorities, his execution was also carried out secretly, without informing his lawyer and family, and without allowing him the right to a final visit with his family. The death sentence of Mehdi Jahanpour was carried out in an unjust judicial process and an unfair extrajudicial procedure, raising concerns within the human rights community.
Public Execution
The Iranian judiciary carried out the execution sentences of two prisoners on Monday, September 30, 2024, who had previously been sentenced to death for charges of “participation in hostilities through shooting” and “killing a police officer,” in public at one of the squares in the city of Khomein.It is worth mentioning that this sentence had also been confirmed by the Supreme Court of the country.
According to the statistics recorded by the Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM) Statistics and Documentation Center, this is the third prisoner to be publicly executed in Iran over the past nine months since the beginning of the year 2024.
According to documents from the United Nations Human Rights Committee, public executions are in violation of the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and constitute a breach of Article 7 of this Covenant. Public execution not only violates international human rights laws but also has deep psychological impacts on society, especially on children, and leads to the normalization of violence in society.
Death Sentences for Political Prisoners
With the surge in executions in Iran, the Iranian judiciary issued or confirmed death sentences for 4 political prisoners in September, raising concerns among human rights groups. The political prisoners who received these sentences include:
Mohammad Javad Vafaei Thani, a 29-year-old political prisoner from Mashhad, a champion and boxing coach, was sentenced to death for the third time on September 18, 2024. This sentence was communicated to him on the same day in Mashhad prison. His charges include ‘corruption on earth’ and supporting the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI). Vafaei has been in prison since his arrest in March 2020.
Behrouz Ehsani, a 67-year-old political prisoner from Tehran, was arrested at his home on November 28, 2022, and transferred to Ward 209 of the Ministry of Intelligence.On September 18, 2024, Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, communicated the death sentence to the defense lawyer of this prisoner. Ehsani’s charges include ‘waging war against God,’ ‘corruption on earth,’ and supporting the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI).
Mehdi Hassani, a 48-year-old political prisoner from Shahr-e-Rey, was sentenced to death on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari, and this sentence was communicated to the defense lawyer of the prisoner. Mehdi Hassani’s charges include ‘waging war against God,’ ‘corruption on earth,’ and supporting the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI).
Hatem Ozdemir, a 28-year-old Kurdish political prisoner from Agri province in Kurdistan, Turkey, whose death sentence was issued in April 2024 by Branch 3 of the Urmia Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Najafzadeh, for the charge of “waging war,” has been confirmed. And his case had been referred to the Supreme Court after his defense lawyer objected, but it was not approved. Hatem Ozdemir was arrested in June 2019 along with a group of Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) members in border areas of Chaldoran.
Media-Uncovered Executions and Media-Covered Execution
In September 2024, 97% of the executions were carried out in boycott and silence by the media, with only 3% of the executions being announced by state media or media close to the Iranian judiciary. As a result, the death sentences of 71 prisoners were executed in a news boycott, with only the death sentences of two prisoners being covered by the media. The media silence in September compared to recent months has been unprecedented, causing concern among human rights groups in Iran.
The Iranian regime considers reporting on the statistics of executions in the country as “security-sensitive and confidential.” In recent years, some activists against executions in the country have been detained and imprisoned for disseminating news related to executions. Therefore, it is evident that the number of executions in Iran is significantly higher, but unfortunately, this information does not reach independent media due to media silence.
Call on International Human Rights Authorities
Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM) calls for an investigation against extra-judicial executions in Iran from Mrs. Mai Sato, the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran Affairs. It also urges the United Nations, the European Union, and member countries not to remain silent in the face of these executions, to condemn this state-sponsored massacre, and to demand immediate and practical action to halt this bloodshed. Silence in the face of this regime’s crime is a violation of the most fundamental human rights and democratic standards.
