KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Iranian authorities have executed 87 individuals, including eight Afghan nationals, over the past month, according to a report by an Iranian human rights organization.
The Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, which monitors human rights abuses in Iran, released its monthly report on Saturday, highlighting a 17.5% increase in executions in January compared to the same period last year.
The report did not disclose additional details about the executed Afghan nationals or the reasons for their execution. However, it noted that of the 87 executions, 35 were for drug-related offenses, 50 for premeditated murder, and two for sexual assault.
Iran, one of the countries with the highest rates of capital punishment worldwide, has executed hundreds of individuals in recent years for various crimes, including drug offenses, national security concerns, and involvement in anti-government protests.
In 2024 alone, the Islamic Republic has reportedly carried out at least 883 executions, including 26 women and 5 minors. October witnessed the highest monthly execution rate in two decades, with 169 people put to death, including 15 Afghan nationals.
The Iranian government does not disclose the number of Afghan nationals it executes. However, Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO), another Iranian rights group, 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 citizens in 2022, including a minor and a woman. This number increased to 25 in 2023. Alarmingly, the pace has quickened, with at least 71 Afghan citizens executed in 2024.
Human rights organizations have sharply criticized the Iranian government for these executions, asserting that they violate international laws and the fundamental right to life. Amnesty International has condemned the death penalty, calling it a violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“The shameless rate at which the authorities are carrying out drug-related executions, in violation of international law, exposes their lack of humanity and flagrant disregard for the right to life,” said Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa.
“The international community must ensure that cooperation in anti-drug trafficking initiatives do not contribute, directly or indirectly, to the arbitrary deprivation of life and other human rights violations in Iran,” she added.
