News Center_ Iranan authorities are facing increasing criticism from international human rights organizations that accuse them of using executions as a tool intimidate society and tighten control over the public sphere, amid escalating security restrictions and declining civil liberties in the country over the past months.

Amnesty International issued a statement warning of the increasing risk of executing protesters and political prisoners in Iran, announcing that at least 36 people have been executed on political charges since the start of the US-Israeli war with the Islamic Republic. It affirmed that the sentences were issued and carried out after “unfair” judicial proceedings without regard to international due process standards.

According to the statement, at least 78 protesters, political opponents, and individuals linked to opposition groups face the risk of execution. It noted that 41 of these individuals were arrested during the recent protests that broke out in several Iranian cities, accompanied by a wide wave of arrests, summonses, and security pressures.

Concerns

The statement explained that at least five of those sentenced were minors at the time of the alleged events, considering this a flagrant violation of Iran's international obligations in the field of child protection, calling for an immediate halt to the implementation of these sentences.

Human rights organizations also noted that a large number of defendants were deprived of basic rights such as access to an independent lawyer, public trial sessions, and effective defense, pointing out that some sentences were based on confessions extracted under duress or on reports issued by security agencies.

The real number is higher

Regarding the repression and strict restrictions on information and the pressures faced by families of political prisoners, the organization affirmed in its statement that the actual number of those sentenced to death is likely higher than the announced figures, noting that the cutting off of communication between many prisoners and the outside world and the prevention of information dissemination have prevented human rights organizations from accessing the true dimensions of the repression wave.

The organization called on Iranian authorities to immediately halt the execution of death sentences, annul all sentences issued based on unfair procedures, and provide access to independent lawyers and fair trials for prisoners.

Escalating security pressures

The organization's warning comes amid reports of an escalating pace of arrests of civil society activists, protesters, Kurdish and Baluch citizens, and political opponents in Iran in recent months. Human rights organizations say that the security situation following the outbreak of regional conflicts has led to intensified internal repression and increased harsh sentences against opponents.

Human rights activists warn that the widespread use of the death penalty against protesters and political opponents is part of a policy of intimidation and control over the social space in Iran – a trend they say has intensified with the restriction of media space and the increased securitization of the country.