Wave of Executions Continues in Iran

Latest Developments

Iran executed six more prisoners on August 14 as part of a new wave of death sentences that are “unprecedented,” according to the independent website Iran Wire. Iran’s judiciary had convicted four of the victims for alleged murder and two for alleged drug-related charges. Convictions in Iran often follow trials devoid of due process. In a related development, the Iranian authorities issued a summons for the re-imprisonment of prominent human rights attorney Mohammad Seifzadeh due to his public opposition to the death penalty, the New York-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) reported on August 14. The 76-year-old lawyer — who has been jailed 13 times during his career, under both the Shah’s regime and the Islamic Republic — has a heart condition that has previously required multiple hospitalizations.

Expert Analysis

“The most important step the United States can take to improve the state of human rights in Iran is to deprive the regime of the financial resources it uses to fund its oppression machine. The Biden administration has been doing the exact opposite.” — Saeed Ghasseminejad, FDD Senior Iran and Financial Economics Advisor

“The Islamic Republic continues to demonstrate its inherent cruelty. It will stop at nothing to suppress dissent. The United States must recognize that the regime, even under its new president, remains committed to its revolutionary Islamist ideology. If Washington wants Iran to behave like a normal country, it should impose maximum pressure on Tehran with the ultimate goal of regime change.” — Tzvi Kahn, FDD Research Fellow and Senior Editor

“The Islamic Republic’s judicial system, flawed by design, serves as a tool to intimidate ordinary citizens to quash Iranian civil society. This recent unprecedented spike in executions, enabled by the rigged and unjust legal process, underscores the regime’s fear in response to rising public discontent that has gravely unsettled its security apparatus.” — Janatan Sayeh, FDD Research Analyst

Executions Surge

Executions have surged in recent weeks, including 36 executions in the space of 24 hours earlier this month. On August 9, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk issued a statement saying he is “extremely concerned” about the “alarmingly high number of executions in such a short period of time.” Türk also expressed “concerns about the lack of due process and fair trial standards in many of these cases.” According to the Oslo-based nonprofit Iran Human Rights (IHR), the Islamic Republic has executed 373 people — including 15 women — in 2024 to date.

A Champion for Human Rights

Tehran summoned Seifzadeh after he signed an open letter in December 2022 that called on United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to speak out against Iran’s use of the death penalty, citing the extra-judicial execution of a 23-year-old man, Mohsen Shekari, for protesting against the regime. The charges against Seifzadeh, a founding member of Iran’s Defenders of Human Rights Center, included “propaganda against the state” and “publishing falsehoods.”

Related Analysis

“Iran Executes 36 Convicts in 24 Hours,” FDD Flash Brief

“Iran Executes Protestor for Alleged Role in 2022 Uprising,” FDD Flash Brief

“Executions in Iran Surge as Presidential Inauguration Nears,” FDD Flash Brief

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