Iran Executes 975 People in 2024: Shocking Report by Human Rights Groups.
In 2024, Iran executed 975 people, marking the highest number of executions since 2008, according to human rights groups. The report highlights the use of the death penalty as a tool of fear and political repression, with executions targeting protesters, women, and drug offenders. Alarming statistics reveal public hangings and a surge in executions amid rising regional tensions.
Iran Executes 975 People in 2024, Reveals Human Rights Groups
Two human rights organizations have reported that Iran executed a total of 975 people in 2024 alone.
A Tool of Fear and Oppression
In a joint statement by the Iran Human Rights Organization based in Norway and the Together Against the Death Penalty group from France, it was highlighted that 2024 saw the highest number of executions in Iran since 2008. The report emphasized that Iran has used the death penalty as a tool to instill fear among its citizens and accused the regime of employing it as a central instrument of political repression.
Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, Director of the Iran Human Rights Organization, stated that these executions are part of the government’s strategy to maintain its grip on power by targeting its own people. The report also noted that during the last three months of 2024, amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel, an average of five people were executed daily.
Shocking Statistics
In comparison, Iran executed 834 people in 2023. The 2024 figure not only surpasses this but also includes four public executions and the execution of 31 women.
Lack of Transparency
Since the 2022 anti-government protests, Iran has intensified its use of the death penalty as a means of intimidation. The death penalty remains a key component of Iran’s Sharia-based judiciary system, established after the 1979 revolution that ousted the Western-backed Shah.
Crimes punishable by death in Iran include murder, sexual assault, and drug-related offenses. While most executions are carried out within prison facilities, occasional public hangings still occur.
Human rights groups believe that the actual number of executions in Iran could be even higher than reported. They mentioned that there is evidence suggesting additional executions in 2023 that could not be verified. Furthermore, reports indicate that 39 more executions took place in 2024, though these remain unconfirmed.
As of late February 2024, Iran has reportedly executed 121 people, raising concerns over the country’s ongoing use of the death penalty as a tool of fear and control.
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