A Bloody May and the Victims of State Policies
As part of the ongoing wave of executions in Iran, three prisoners at Karaj Central Prison were transferred to solitary confinement on Sunday, May 25, 2025, for imminent execution. All three—Akbar Ebrahimi, Karam Rahmati (from Ward 4), and Rahim Amiri (from Ward 3)—have been sentenced to death on drug-related charges.
According to reports from inside the prison, authorities deceptively sent all other inmates to the yard under the guise of routine outdoor time. During this time, the three death-row inmates were covertly moved to solitary cells—commonly referred to as “death cells”—to prevent any possible resistance. That same day, the families of the prisoners were allowed their final visits, a grim tradition that all but confirms the immediate execution of the detainees.
Coerced “Repentance Letters”: A Tool for False Legitimacy
One of the most disturbing aspects of this process is the forced writing of “repentance letters”. Under an official directive from the Islamic Republic’s judiciary, all prisoners sentenced to death for social crimes are required to write a statement of repentance before execution. These coerced letters—written under psychological pressure, coercion, or even threats—are later used as evidence of guilt, regardless of their authenticity. This practice blatantly violates legal and ethical standards, reducing the judicial process to little more than a staged performance to justify state violence.
A Record-Breaking and Bloody May: 169 Executions in One Month
According to human rights monitors, at least 169 prisoners were executed in Iran during the Iranian month of Ordibehesht 1404 (April 20 – May 20, 2025) alone. This figure makes May one of the bloodiest months in recent years. Human rights experts argue that many of these executions are not aimed at delivering justice, but rather serve as instruments of fear and suppression, particularly targeting vulnerable and marginalized populations.
Systemic Injustice: When Victims Are Punished for Structural Crimes
The majority of these executions are linked to drug-related offenses—a domain deeply tied to poverty, unemployment, systemic corruption, and failed economic policies. In many cases, those executed are not the masterminds of trafficking operations but impoverished individuals driven to the drug trade as a means of survival.
These individuals are, in truth, victims of a broader system of exploitation, stripped of economic opportunity and pushed into criminalized survival strategies. Instead of addressing the root causes of social harm, the government executes those it has already failed, using them as scapegoats in a wider campaign of repression.
