Executions in Iran Surge as Presidential Inauguration Nears

Latest Developments

Iran’s judiciary has executed a prisoner every eight hours since July 20, the Oslo-based non-profit Iran Human Rights (IHR) reported on July 25. The surge of executions, which comes as president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian prepares to take office on July 30, included the hanging of Kurdish-Sunni political prisoner Kamran Sheikheh, whom the regime falsely accused of killing a Muslim cleric in 2008. Sheikheh’s sentence followed a trial devoid of due process based on a confession extracted by torture, IHR said. Iran often increases executions after presidential elections in an effort to deter protests and dissent against the new leader.

Expert Analysis

“The Islamic Republic’s latest surge of executions aims to send a simple message to the Iranian people: Don’t defy the regime. We can expect more executions under the looming presidency of Masoud Pezeshkian, who has pledged to continue the policies of his predecessor, Ebrahim Raisi.” — Tzvi Kahn, FDD Research Fellow and Senior Editor

“The regime in Tehran seeks to mask its crimes against humanity by instilling false hope through parading its upcoming so-called ‘reformist’ administration. As Iran’s robust civic network continues to protest the tragic surge in executions enabled by the Islamic Republic’s sham judicial process, America’s public diplomacy towards Iran ought to echo these concerns.” — Janatan Sayeh, FDD Research Analyst

Drug-Related Executions

Iran has executed at least 290 people in 2024 to date, according to IHR, including at least 147 for drug-related charges. Iran executed at least 834 people in 2023, more than half of them for alleged narcotics offenses. In April 2024, more than 80 human rights groups signed an open letter calling on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to pressure Tehran to halt the executions. “The death penalty or state murder is the Islamic Republic’s most important tool for instilling societal fear to maintain power,” the letter said. The absence of international attention to drug-related executions, the letter added, “has led to the authorities carrying out 18 times more drug executions in 2023 compared to 2020 with the lowest political cost.”

Protests Persist

Despite the regime’s repression, protests in Iran have continued since the presidential election on June 28 and the runoff vote on July 5. In July alone, 128 demonstrations have occurred to date, according to FDD’s protest tracker. In June, at least 166 protests unfolded. Since the popular uprising known as “Women, Life, Freedom” began in September 2022, more than 6,900 protests and 25,000 arrests have taken place. Iranian security forces have killed at least 643 protesters, not including the executions formally committed by the judiciary.

No Reform Under Pezeshkian

While Western media have described Pezeshkian as a moderate, his administration is unlikely to halt or reduce Iran’s executions. “We are not going to write a new program and implement a new policy,” Pezeshkian said in June. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has instructed the president-elect to continue the policies of his predecessor, the late Ebrahim Raisi, who presided over a record number of executions while in office. Pezeshkian campaigned not as an outsider to the regime but as part of the dominant Islamist order.

Related Analysis

“FAQ: Iran’s New President and Latest ‘Election,’” by Behnam Ben Taleblu

“Iranian President Pezeshkian will not open a new chapter for Iran-Israel relations,” by Seth J. Frantzman

“Mapping Protests in Iran,” by Mark Dubowitz

“Executions Surge in Iran as Protests Persist,” FDD Flash Brief