At least 529 people have been put to death in Iran this year which includes more than 300 since President Hassan Rouhani assumed office in August according to the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center. Other groups estimate the number to be over 600.
The increased pace of public executions comes even as Rouhani basks in a deal with the west to drop sanctions against the Islamic Republic following his well publicized “charm offensive.” The new, moderate face Iran is showing the world belies a sinister spike in executions in the country with hundreds killed for such crimes as “waging war against God,” according to the human rights group. “Under the shadow of negotiations, however, Iran’s appalling human rights situation has hardly changed,” Iranian activists Payam Akhavean and Shirin Ebadi wrote. The pair claimed that executions have actually spiked up even as Tehran has participated in talks with the U.S. and other western nations at reducing sanctions in exchange for pulling back on its nuclear program.
Iran executes more of its citizens per capita than any other government, with hanging the most common method. Only China executes more people. Many of Iran’s condemned were accused of being a “Moharebeh,” or one found to be “waging war against God” under Islamic law. Others were deemed drug users or traffickers and often hanged publicly from cranes. “Since Rouhani’s inauguration, the increasing number of prisoners being sent to the gallows is indefensible,” said Hadi Ghaemi, executive director of the International Campaign for Human rights in Iran. Many other executions are carried out in secret after convictions resulting from trials that were closed to the public and often did not even allow for legal representation for the accused.
Three Americans are believed to be held in Iran, with one facing a death sentence. A former U.S. Marine, Amir Hekmati, has been sentenced to death for spying for the U.S.’ when he was visiting his family in Iran. Iranian-American Pastor Saeed Abedini, whose wife and two children live in Boise, Idaho, is still being held in Iran for practicing his Christian faith. He has been sentenced to eight years and his supporters say brutal prison conditions render that punishment a veritable death sentence. Another, retired FBI agent Robert Levinson has been missing since 2007 and was last seen on Iran’s Kish Island. While Tehran denies holding him, U.S. officials believe they have not been forthcoming about Levinson’s whereabouts.
“It’s a common pattern, Iran always couples external outreach with increasing repression at home,” said Rubin, author of “Dancing with the Devil: The Perils of Engaging Rogue Regimes.”
“Basically the ayatollahs are telling their people, ‘Make no mistake. Our moderation is for external consumption only.”
We continue our prayers for the Americans being held captive in Iran and for all political prisoners being held and/or tortured there.