KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Iran has executed eight people in the past two days, including two Afghan nationals, according to Iran Human Rights (IHR), an organization monitoring human rights abuses in the country.
The two Afghan nationals, convicted of “rape,” were executed inside Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj on Wednesday, February 19. However, IHR noted that further details about their identities have not been disclosed at the time of reporting.
The remaining six individuals, all Iranian citizens, were executed on charges of “murder” and “drug-related offenses.”
Iran, known for having one of the highest execution rates globally, has executed hundreds of people in recent years for crimes including drug offenses, national security concerns, and participation in anti-government protests.
The country executed at least 975 people in 2024, a 17% increase from the previous year. In October alone, Iran carried out 166 executions, including 13 Afghan nationals, marking the highest monthly execution rate in two decades.
The Iranian government does not disclose the number of Afghan nationals it executes. However, right groups like IHR recently reported a growing trend of executions involving Afghan nationals since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021. According to the report, Iran executed 16 Afghan nationals in 2022, including a minor and a woman. That number grew to 25 in 2023 and surged to at least 80 in 2024.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have condemned Iran’s ongoing use of the death penalty, calling it a violation of international law and the right to life, as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
