In a disturbing escalation of state violence, the Iranian authorities have executed at least 585 prisoners, including 21 women, since late July under Massoud Pezeshkian’s presidency. This alarming figure represents a 236-person increase compared to the same period last year, underscoring a grim human rights crisis in the country.
The most recent wave of executions occurred between December 3 and December 11, during which at least 38 prisoners were hanged in various prisons across Iran.
On Wednesday, December 11, at least 13 individuals were executed. Among them were Ahmad Jahan Khani, Sirus Ahmadi, Meysam Karegar, Hassan Yousefi, Naser Nakhchi, Iman Moghadam, Rahman Saralak, Abdullah Tajik, and an unidentified prisoner, all hanged in Qezelhessar Prison. Additionally, Naser Shahouzehi was executed in Greater Tehran Prison, Sajad Azizi and Ebrahim Valizadeh in Miandoab, and Gholam Rousta in Shiraz.
On Human Rights Day, December 10, Iranian authorities executed Abdolmehdi Rashed Amiri, 30, Asghar Ramazani, 34, and Saeid Moti’ in Qom, highlighting the regime’s disregard for global human rights norms even on a day meant to commemorate them.
On Monday, December 9, Reza Bahrami-Fard was executed in Dezful. In Zahedan, Khodabakhsh Ghanbarzehi (Barahoui), Omid Hossein-Raei, and another prisoner with the last name Rakhshani met the same fate. Morteza Ghasemi was executed in Isfahan.
On Sunday, December 8, Abdolghafour Razmdideh Rigi was executed in Birjand. A day earlier, on December 7, Ameneh Alipour, a 37-year-old female prisoner, along with Ashkan Fathi and Jaber Ansari, were hanged in Isfahan.
On December 5, Ali Khaleqi Forqani, 22, was hanged in Mashhad. On December 4, Sina Shamsollahi was executed in Miandoab. On December 3, Khalil Hassanzadeh, 33, Abdollah Panahi, and Rasoul Ebrahimi were executed in Tabriz.
A Grim Pattern of Oppression
The sheer scale and rapid pace of these executions indicate a deliberate attempt by the Iranian regime to instill fear and suppress dissent. Human rights activists have consistently condemned Iran’s judicial system for its lack of transparency, reliance on forced confessions, and widespread use of the death penalty for non-violent and politically motivated charges.
The global community must take urgent action to hold the Iranian government accountable for its human rights violations. The UN, international human rights organizations, and democratic nations should amplify calls for an immediate halt to executions in Iran and impose measures to pressure the regime to comply with international human rights standards.
The families of those executed are left mourning in silence, often without even the opportunity to say goodbye. These systematic killings are not just a violation of human rights but an affront to humanity itself. As the number of executions continues to rise, so too does the need for a unified global response to demand justice for the victims of this brutal regime.
