Report: Human Rights Violations in Iran – October 2023
Iran Executions
FILE PHOTO
Written by
Mohammad Sadat Khansari
The dire state of human rights in Iran persisted during the month of October 2023, marked by an escalating crackdown on dissent. Executions continued with intensity, arbitrary detentions expanded, and self-immolation incidents showed an alarming upward trend. An overview of the human rights situation in Iran for October is as follows:
Executions
According to reports published thus far, at least 91 prisoners were executed in various Iranian prisons during this month. Among these, one was a woman, and the remaining 90 were men. Notably, 18 Baluch, two Kurdish, and four Afghan nationals were among the executed prisoners. The age range of those executed ranged from 22 to 56 years old.
These executions took place in several prisons, including Shiraz Central Prison, Kerman Central Prison, Mashhad Central Prison, Isfahan Central Prison, Hamedan Central Prison, Tabriz Central Prison, Urmia Central Prison, Zanjan Central Prison, Ardabil Central Prison, Khorramabad Central Prison, Gorgan Central Prison, Rasht Central Prison, Zahedan Central Prison, Birjand Central Prison, Karaj Central Prison, and various other prisons in cities like Ramhormoz, Torbat Heydarieh, Bam, Ghazal Hesar, Ilam, Khoi, Ahar, and one of the prisons in Golestan Province.
One woman, identified as Ahl-e Daran, was executed on October 21, 2023, in Isfahan Central Prison, on murder charges.
Samad Moradi, 30, was executed on October 1, 2023, in Ramhormoz Prison on charges of murder. When authorities intended to transfer him to solitary confinement for execution, other inmates protested and attempted to prevent the transfer by setting their blankets on fire. Ultimately, prison guards forcibly moved Samad to solitary confinement, and in the process, they injured eight other inmates.
Hamidreza Khodabandeh Farsimadan Qashqai was executed on October 1, 2023, in Shiraz Central Prison on charges of “ifsad fil-arz” [Arabic for spreading corruption on earth] and “moharebeh” [enmity against God]. He was apprehended during armed clashes in Shiraz, during which authorities confiscated three firearms from him. He was a member of the Qashqai tribe. His execution coincided with the anniversary of the execution of Khosrow Qashqai, as the regime had recently clashed with the Qashqai community in the weeks leading up to his execution, resulting in the death of one Qashqai member and several injured security personnel. In his case, they falsely accused him of rape, which he vehemently denied. It was promised that he would be exiled to Zahedan, and two days before his execution, his family was contacted for a final visit.
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Ali Barzanjeh (Chaman), a 41-year-old married man with seven children, was executed on October 17, 2023, in Isfahan Central Prison on charges related to narcotics.
Mohammad Ali Vahidi (Dehmordeh), a 56-year-old Baluch prisoner, married and father of two, was executed on October 19, 2023, in Gonbad-e Kavous Prison on charges of murder.
Hossein Ali Dil Baluch, 27, was executed on October 19, 2023, in Birjand Central Prison. In 2021, he was arrested in Birjand on drug-related charges and was sentenced to death with a one-degree reduction in the so-called Revolutionary Court of that city.
On October 27, without prior notice, he was transferred outside the ward during the night shift. When he realized that he was being summoned to be executed, he refused to go to the guards’ station, claiming that his sentence was reduced by one degree. However, by the order of prison authorities, he was forcibly transferred to quarantine by three soldiers, a guard officer, and ward monitors. An hour later, in the early morning, his execution was carried out without informing his family or granting them a final visit.
On the 27th of October, after the execution, his family was contacted by Birjand Prison, informing them of their son’s execution and asking them to come to the city’s morgue to receive his body. His family and relatives went to the prison and court, inquiring about the reason for his execution despite the one-degree reduction, but no one provided them with an answer. As an act of defiance, his family decorated Hossein-Ali’s lifeless body at the funeral, and confectioneries were sprinkled on his corpse.
Mohammad Nabi Shahouzehi, a 55-year-old married man with nine children, was executed on October 26, 2023, in Birjand Central Prison on charges related to narcotics.
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Arrests:
During this month, based on available information, at least 306 individuals were detained under various pretexts.
Political Arrests:
In October, 269 individuals were detained. A significant number of these detentions were related to the weekly protests in Sistan and Baluchestan province, particularly the arrests on October 20 in Zahedan. Detentions also occurred during the funeral of Armita Geravand in Tehran and in various other cities. Additionally, some civil activists were summoned and their prison sentences were enforced by security forces. Some of the supporters of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK/PMOI) are among those arrested this month.
Arbitrary Arrests:
In October, 20 individuals were detained on charges of attending private parties and allegedly sharing explicit images on the internet.
Religious Arrests:
17 Baha’is were detained on grounds of previous warrants and several others were arrested without any clear reasons.
Extrajudicial Killings:
During the month of October, at least 25 citizens, including fuel porters, and kulbars (poor people who carry heavy loads to make a living) were killed by law enforcement officers, border guards, security, and intelligence agents. The categorized statistics are as follows:
Citizens: 20 individuals
Fuel porters: 2 individuals
Kulbars: 3 individuals
This harrowing record paints a bleak picture of the human rights situation in Iran. As the clerical regime grapples with mounting domestic and international challenges, it has increasingly resorted to repressive measures and widespread human rights violations. The need for heightened vigilance and international attention regarding these grave violations cannot be overstated and begs for immediate action.
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