Iran executed seven individuals on Wednesday, including three Afghan nationals, at Ghezel Hesar prison in the city of Karaj, according to the HENGAW Organization for Human Rights. The executions also included two Kurdish prisoners, the rights group reported.
HENGAW identified one of the Afghan nationals as Ajmal Azizi, who had been sentenced to death for “premeditated murder.” The two other Afghan nationals, identified as Mohammad Tajik and a man named Sadeq, were reportedly executed after being convicted on charges of “rape.”
This latest round of executions underscores ongoing concerns about capital punishment in Iran, which has one of the highest rates of executions in the world. According to a review by Amu, an Iranian human rights watchdog, over 50 Afghan nationals have been executed in Iran so far this year.
Human rights organizations have long called attention to Iran’s use of the death penalty, which they argue disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including foreign nationals and ethnic minorities.
