In a move that has drawn widespread condemnation, the Iranian regime’s judiciary executed Ahmad Alizadeh for a second time on Wednesday, November 13, despite his initial survival after being hanged earlier this year. Alizadeh, convicted of murder, had previously been granted clemency by the victim’s family after he was revived following an attempted execution. Nonetheless, authorities went forward with a second execution, underscoring the clerical regime’s uncompromising adherence to punitive measures and a disregard for prior acts of forgiveness.
Alizadeh, who had spent seven years in prison after his conviction at age 20, had spoken out against the brutal treatment he received. In an audio recording circulated on social media, Alizadeh described his distress over being returned to death row. “I have one death sentence, not a hundred,” he stated, recounting how he was repeatedly taken to the gallows, only to be revived moments later. He claimed, “Once forgiveness is granted, it should not be reversed.”
Iranian rights groups have condemned the judiciary’s actions, especially given reports that Alizadeh, described by a source as a “gifted student,” had denied the murder accusation, stating he was forced to confess under torture. This double execution has heightened concerns over the regime’s systematic violations of human rights, especially in cases involving young prisoners and those allegedly coerced into confessions.
NCRI Statement:
Execution of 7 Prisoners on Wednesday, Including One Woman; Public Execution of a Prisoner in #Hamedan
461 Executions, Including 15 #Women, During Pezeshkian’s Tenure — a 75% Increase Compared to Raisi’s Last Yearhttps://t.co/2mfhcPF7ix— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) November 13, 2024
The clerical regime’s relentless use of capital punishment extends beyond cases of homicide. On the same day, Iranian authorities executed four other prisoners on drug-related charges in the prisons of Zahedan and Ghezel Hesar. Zakaria Alizehi, 27, was one of the individuals executed in Zahedan, while three others—identified as Mohsen Moradi, Jafar Rastgar, and Hamzeh Torkashvand—were executed in Ghezel Hesar prison in Alborz Province. These executions reflect a troubling increase in drug-related executions, with human rights organizations reporting a staggering 84% rise in such cases in 2023 alone.
According to Amnesty International, Iran accounts for 74% of all documented executions worldwide, a grim statistic that highlights the clerical regime’s prioritization of retribution over justice. This escalation in executions reveals the regime’s broader strategy of maintaining control through fear, even as it faces rising internal and international opposition.
