At least 249 executions in Iran since the beginning of the year, according to an NGO

IHR acknowledges a decline before the elections but warns of a “new wave” after the elections

5 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The NGO Iran Human Rights (IHR) has counted 249 executions in Iran in the first six months of the year, a decrease of 30 percent compared to the same period in 2023, although it has explained that a relative decrease tends to occur before the presidential and parliamentary elections, while warning of the risk of “a new wave” of repression in the country when the electoral process is completed.

IHR said that, in line with trends over the past two decades, the number of executions has decreased in the days leading up to the presidential election, the first round of which was held on June 28, while the second round is being held this Friday. However, it noted that “past patterns” show that “new waves always begin after” the election, according to a statement.

“To encourage people to participate in the elections, the authorities reduce the number of executions. But the experience of previous years shows that the authorities always show their true colors immediately after a sharp increase in executions occurs. The Iranian people and the international community must prepare for a new wave of executions,” warned the director of the NGO, Mahmoud Amirimoghadam.

The NGO’s summary – which notes that its statistics include only those it has been able to verify through two independent sources and warns that the real number is higher – indicates that only 10 percent of the executions were announced by official sources. In addition, 174 cases were for drug charges, 86 for murder, 14 for security-related charges, five for spying for Israel and two for rape.