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In a chilling display of state-sponsored brutality, the clerical dictatorship of Iran executed 22 prisoners en masse in Ghezel Hesar Prison at dawn on August 7, a grim record not seen since 2016. As Massoud Pezeshkian, the new president, prepares to unveil his cabinet, the regime escalates its repression to quell potential uprisings. The victims, among them seven Sunnis, were hanged in a single day, highlighting the regime’s shaky but ruthless grip on power.
The executions of August 7 were not isolated incidents. On August 6, four more prisoners, including Aminollah Naroui, Hamzeh Garavand, Azad Abdollahi, and Akbar Gohari, faced the gallows. Earlier, on August 3, Naghi Ghorbani, Reza (Hamid) Rostami, and Javad Amiri were executed in Shiraz’s Adel Abad prison. These actions underscore Khamenei’s brutal strategy to silence dissent amid multiple domestic and international crises.
The dire human rights situation in Iran was further highlighted on August 6, when Reza Rasaei, a 35-year-old political prisoner from Kermanshah province, was hanged in Dizel Abad prison, Kermanshah province. Arrested during the November 2022 uprising, Rasaei was brutally tortured, leading to severe injuries. Despite international calls for his release, Kermanshah’s Criminal Court sentenced him to death, a year in prison, and 74 lashes, alleging his involvement in the death of an IRGC Intelligence chief.
Khamenei has once again committed a heinous act by shedding the blood of the courageous detained protester, #RezaRasaei. This is yet another chapter in the extensive record of Khamenei's tyranny and crimes.
The execution of this political prisoner in the early days of the… pic.twitter.com/Lv4U5Oywls— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) August 6, 2024
This wave of executions coincides with Pezeshkian’s tenure, following his controversial victory in the July 2024 sham elections. Contrary to the regime’s portrayal of him as a moderate, Tehran has actually intensified crackdowns. The Iran Human Rights Monitor (Iran HRM) reported a staggering increase in executions, with 53 individuals executed in July alone, compared to 10 in June.
Iran HRM’s monthly report for July 2024 also reveals a grim picture: executions of women have surged fivefold, with five female prisoners executed last month. Among them, Mahmoudi Nia, forced into marriage, was executed for allegedly murdering her fiancé. Other cases include three women executed for drug offenses in Birjand Prison and another in Khorramabad Central Prison. The report also highlights the secret nature of these executions, with 92% conducted without media coverage.
The regime’s brutality extends beyond executions. Recently, shocking videos emerged showing the morality police violently attacking two teenage girls for an alleged improper hijab. One victim, just 14 years old, still bears the physical scars of this assault. This incident has sparked outrage and calls for international intervention. The Women’s Committee of the NCRI has urged the UN and human rights organizations to condemn these acts and hold the regime accountable.
Here is a horrifying video showing the moment when two teenage girls were arrested by the Iranian regime's agents under the pretext of "improper veiling."
Watching this video makes our hearts feel heavy.
One of the girls is only 14. The agents slammed her head against an… pic.twitter.com/BAUBWPBhmC
— Women's Committee NCRI (@womenncri) August 6, 2024
Since selected to steer the regime’s executive branch, Massoud Pezeshkian has wasted no time in reaffirming Tehran’s commitment to its regional proxy forces. In recent communications with leaders of the regime’s paramilitary groups, Pezeshkian emphasized that support for these groups is deeply ingrained in the core policies of the regime, echoing the foundational principles set by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Coupled with an aggressive domestic crackdown, which has seen a significant spike in executions and repression of political dissent, Pezeshkian’s early administration signals no deviation from the regime’s long-standing strategy.
The regime’s actions reveal that, despite changes in slogans or personnel, its core strategies for survival remain consistent: maintaining harsh domestic control while actively supporting and engaging in terrorism abroad.
