Iran is in the headlines again and this time not for its nuclear program but for something very controversial i.e., “Capital Punishment”.
A new report says Iran executed more than 300 people since last year but what were they for?
The crimes are debatable, some were executed for blasphemy, some for-drug consumption, and some for their sexual orientation.
The Islamic Republic of Iran has long been a leading executioner. It executed more people per capita than any other country.
Let it be child offenders, religious dissidents, drug consumers, homosexuals, and if caught and found guilty they all meet the same fate.
| Years | People Executed |
| 2018 | 253 |
| 2019 | 225 |
| 2020 | 267 |
| 2021 | 333 |
Executions in Stats
333 executions in a year mark a 25% of surge in execution and it coincides with the rise of Ebrahim Raisi, a hardline cleric who was elected last year.
The Norway-based human rights body says Raisi’s stringent policies are driving more executions, especially for offenses related to drugs.
Out of 333 executions, at least 126 executions were over drug-related charges. Only 55 executions were officially announced and the remaining 278 were carried out discreetly.
Among the 333 executed, 2 were juvenile offenders and 17 of them were women.
Among the women executed were Zara Esmaeili and Mariam Karimi. Their crimes were murdering their abusive husbands. According to reports Zara died of a heart attack just minutes before execution and also expresses dominance over ethnic minorities, especially the Balochis.
Among the executed the Balochis accounted for 21% of the ethnic minorities although they represent only 2-6% of Iran’s population.
If we speak about child offenders only two were executed last year but there’re 85 juveniles currently on death row and many for crimes that they didn’t commit.
The reports can just be the tip of the iceberg, given the state’s secrecy especially on capital punishments the actual number of executions is likely higher.
A community routinely being exposed to high organized violence where they can do very little about it has accepted the death penalty as a legal solution, the death penalty has consequently become a tool of repression for the government’s hands.
Read Also: Nuclear Deal: EU Envoy visits Iran
Published By: Aman Gupta
Edited By: Vanshika Sahu
