TEHRAN — Iran has executed 49 Afghan nationals in the past 10 months, largely on drug trafficking charges, according to figures released by the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Organization.
Iranian authorities have not commented on the reported executions or disclosed any information about the judicial processes involved. Rights organizations have likewise refrained from providing details on how cases involving Afghan nationals are handled within Iran’s legal system.
Afghan migrants in Iran, however, have expressed concern over the treatment of Afghan detainees, stating that many lack access to defense attorneys. “Many Afghan prisoners in Iran’s prisons don’t have anyone outside to help them, so they can’t access legal representation,” said Enayatullah Alkozai, an Afghan migrant in Iran. “It’s a basic right of every prisoner to have access to an attorney. If these prisoners could be transferred to Afghanistan, they might have a fairer chance at justice.”
Afghan nationals executed this year were held in various Iranian prisons, including Ghezel Hesar, Karaj, Qom Central Prison, and Shiraz Central Prison. Figures show that 13 Afghan nationals were executed in October alone—a threefold increase compared to previous months, according to the rights group’s report.
The recent uptick in executions has alarmed Afghan communities in Iran, who argue that their countrymen should be tried in Afghanistan, where they may receive greater protections. “Iran’s prisons are filled with Afghan migrants who have been left in legal limbo, detained for years without clear recourse,” said Akbar Sultani, another Afghan migrant in Iran.
The Taliban government, which has not issued a public response to the executions, has reportedly confirmed that between 5,000 and 6,000 Afghan nationals are currently detained in Iranian prisons.
The rise in executions appears to have accelerated since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021. In 2022, 16 Afghan nationals were executed in Iran, a figure that rose to 25 in 2023. So far this year, the number has already reached 49, with reports indicating that women and children were among those executed.
Nasrullah Stanikzai, a legal analyst and professor, emphasized that governments have a duty to protect the rights of their citizens abroad, even those accused of crimes. “Unfortunately, the current rulers in Kabul are prioritizing political relations with Iran over the rights of Afghan citizens,” he said.
In a recent report, Iran’s ISNA news agency cited a judiciary official saying that Afghan nationals make up nearly 95 percent of Iran’s foreign prisoner population. According to the official, Afghans are primarily detained on charges related to drug trafficking, theft, illegal border crossings, and crimes against individuals.
