Since the start of this year, Iran has witnessed a sharp rise in the number of executions, with more than 1,000 death sentences carried out so far, according to credible human rights reports. In the past week alone, at least 64 executions took place, averaging nearly nine per day.

In Ahwaz, at least 10 people were executed over just the past three days. Human rights reports indicate that political activists from non-Persian nations top the list of those executed, followed by activists in cultural and religious fields.

This wave of executions comes at a time of mounting internal tension in the country, especially after the twelve-day war between Iran and Israel, which the authorities in Tehran exploited to tighten security control particularly in regions inhabited by non-Persian peoples. Observers believe the Iranian regime found in that war a pretext to strengthen its security grip not only over these peoples, but also over Persian society itself.

Despite the staggering figures announced, human rights activists affirm that the real number of executions is much higher than official statistics, due to media censorship and the lack of transparency in Iran’s judiciary and prison system. Iran tops the blacklist of countries with the highest number of executions worldwide. It also ranks first globally in executions per capita, and second in total numbers after China even though China’s population exceeds 1.416 billion, making Iran’s execution rate far deadlier and more impactful.

While non-Persian nations accuse the ruling regime of promoting drug trafficking within their regions, the authorities continue to issue and enforce death sentences against individuals accused of drug-related crimes. Human rights defenders consider these cases a pretext to eliminate political and social opponents under the guise of law.

Ahwazi human rights activists argue that describing Iran as the “Republic of Executions” is no longer metaphorical, but rather reflects a grim reality that sets Iran apart globally, given its systematic use of capital punishment as a tool of political and security intimidation.

Hussain Hazbavi