Two individuals were executed in Bandar Abbas prison on Wednesday, November 8, bringing the total number of prisoners executed by the Iranian regime to 58 in the month of Aban on the Persian calendar (October 23- November 22).
Reports indicate that the sentences of these two prisoners, previously condemned to death by the regime’s judicial system for drug-related offenses, were carried out in Bandar Abbas prison. On the same day, two other prisoners, one in Kerman and the other in Urmia Central Prison, were hanged by government authorities.
The identity of the prisoner executed in Kerman is unknown, and he was charged with murder. The prisoner executed in Urmia prison was identified as Akbar Farokhi, also accused of murder.
According to human rights organizations, between October 10, 2022, and October 8, 2023, the clerical dictatorship executed at least 678 people, including 17 women and one juvenile offender. This represents a roughly 24% increase in executions compared to the same period in the previous year. Notably, seven of these executions took place in public which indicates the regime’s need for public intimidation.
During the same period, a total of 164 individuals received death sentences, with two of them being sentenced to public executions.
On November 6 and 7, at least 10 prisoners were moved from Qazalhessar Prison for execution.
In Dieselabad Prison in Kermanshah, on Wednesday morning, November 8, a prisoner named Farhad Aghaei was executed on charges of murder. Farhad Aghaei, a 32-year-old resident of Ravansar, had been arrested seven years ago and sentenced to death for his involvement in a murder case.
Report: Human Rights Violations in #Iran – October 2023https://t.co/lk8lU9AvLE
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) November 6, 2023
Out of the 10 prisoners transferred earlier, nine were executed on the morning of November 8. One of the executed prisoners was identified as Hossein Almasi. The other three executed individuals were Mustafa Ziyayi, a resident of Tehran, Peyman Mousavi, and Bahman Fathollahi, also a resident of Tehran.
However, the regime’s oppressive actions don’t stop at executing helpless prisoners within Iran. Simultaneously, security forces have targeted hardworking laborers known as “kulbars” in the border areas of Baneh and Nowsud. These freight carriers were engaged in arduous work to make ends meet. In this crackdown, one kulbar named Azad Setarehpanah was killed, and eight others were wounded. This resembles the ongoing atrocities against Baluch fuel porters, with several of them being killed every week.
The intentions of an increasingly unstable regime are becoming clear as they try to exploit the overwhelmed international community’s focus on the major crisis in Gaza. Their goal is to suppress dissent and intimidate an already restless society. These desperate measures aim to prevent any potential public outbursts and uprisings by resorting to executions and regional aggression.
However, these brutal actions only serve to worsen the situation, further igniting the people’s anger and hatred towards the regime. It’s imperative that the United Nations and all member states do not remain silent in the face of the alarming surge in torture and executions in the 21st century. They should take immediate steps to make it a condition for any diplomatic and economic engagement with Tehran to cease executions and torture.
