KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Iran has executed two Afghan nationals for murder and drug-related offenses in recent days, according to Iran Human Rights (IHR), a Norwegian-based rights watchdog.
The first execution involved an Afghan national convicted of murder, carried out on Wednesday at Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj city. The watchdog noted that further details about the individual were not available at the time of the report.
The second case was the execution of Sardar Mohammad, a 43-year-old Afghan man from Farah province, who was convicted of drug-related offenses. His execution took place on Tuesday at Bandar Abbas Central Prison.
These executions are part of what rights groups describe as a surge in the number of Afghans being executed in Iran. IHR previously reported that the number of Afghan nationals executed in the country has risen sharply since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021.
According to IHR, Iran executed 16 Afghan citizens in 2022, including a minor and a woman. This number rose to 25 in 2023 and has accelerated further, with at least 73 Afghan nationals executed in 2024.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have condemned these actions. Amnesty argues that the death penalty is a violation of the right to life as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, calling for its abolition under all circumstances.
Critics have also accused the Iranian authorities of disregarding international law and the fundamental rights of those executed, many of whom come from vulnerable and marginalized communities.
