IHR Director: Increase in executions parallels protests 

2023-07-05 12:08:09


	VAN - Drawing attention the increase in executions in Iran, IHR Director Amiry-Moghaddam said that the timing of the executions paralleled the protests.

	 

	At least 354 people were executed in Iran in the first six months of the year. The majority of those executed were Kurds and Balochists, who led the protests after the murder of Jîna Emini. According to the data; At least 77 Kurds and 71 Baluchis were executed. According to the Iranian regime's statements; 206 of those executed were executed for drug-related crimes. Human rights organizations in Iran, on the other hand, state that prisoners do not go through a fair trial, and that many people are forced to take responsibility for the crimes as a result of torture. Human rights organizations drew attention that the number of executions increased after the process that started with the murder of Jîna Emini, stating that the executions are intimidating citizens who resist. Amiry-Moghaddam, Director of the Norway-based Iranian Human Rights Organization (IHR), evaluated the executions and trial process in Iran.

	 

	THE EXECUTIONS IN IRAN HAVE INCREASED

	 

	Amiry-Moghaddam, a professor at the University of Oslo and also a neuroscientist, founded the Iranian Human Rights Organization 17 years ago in Norway, where he had to leave years ago due to regime pressure. The organization reports the rights violations in Iran on a daily and monthly basis. Noting that the executions in Iran have increased considerably compared to the data of the previous year, Amiry-Moghaddam said: "Executions increase by more than 36 percent compared to the same period last year, and it is also reflected in the figures that there is a dramatic increase in the number of drug-related executions."

	 

	'JUDICIAL IS NOT INDEPENDENT'

	 

	Stating that there was an increase in executions after the murder of Jîna Eminî, Amiry-Moghaddam said: “The regime is sending a message with this. The message is that 'We can take your life, and we're doing that.' The Iranian judiciary is not an independent judicial system. It is part of the repressive mechanism in Iran and most of the people do not have access to a lawyer after being arrested, almost everyone is sentenced to death and executed. People are saying, 'I was tortured to confess', so basically most of these people could not even be guilty with proper due process and fair trial. Trials in revolutionary courts are conducted behind closed doors. Besides having a bad judicial system, there is no justice and transparency."

	 

	'TOTALITER SYSTEM CANNOT LAST'

	 

	Stating that the purpose of the death sentences is not to fight crime, Amiry-Moghaddam said: “The aim is to arouse fear in the society in order to prevent further protests. Iranian authorities know very well that this does not deter crime. The reason they continue with the executions is that that punishment is the most important tool to spread fear in the society and prevent further protests. In a few years of research, we saw that; The timing of the executions in Iran parallels the protests. When political events begin, such executions come into play. Authorities start executions to intimidate because they fear the protests. No totalitarian system can last forever, the Islamic Republic of Iran is also a totalitarian system, they also know that they cannot rule forever. Not only are they oppressive, they are also incapable of solving people's daily problems. They're also pretty corrupt. They know they can't build the society they want out of fear, because it has never happened before."

	 

	INTERNATIONAL SILENCE

	 

	Stating that international institutions and the public do not approach every execution in the same way, Amiry-Moghaddam said: “Iranian authorities have executed 7 protesters so far, and the international community has reacted strongly to each execution. But he didn't get any reaction in about 350 other executions. For this reason, it is necessary to raise a voice against the executions.”

	 

	MA / Berivan Kutlu