Iran executed six individuals, including an Afghan national, in recent days, according to a report by the Iran Human Rights Organization.
The rights group stated that five of the executions took place on Wednesday at Ghezel Hesar Prison in the city of Karaj. Four of those executed were Iranian citizens, while one was identified as an Afghan national, Abdullah Tajik. A sixth individual, who reportedly had a mental health disorder, was executed last week, also on charges of premeditated murder.
The organization reported that the recent executions were carried out for convictions on drug-related offenses and murder. While Iranian authorities have not confirmed these specific executions, the country has a long-standing policy of implementing capital punishment for drug-related crimes, often drawing criticism from international human rights advocates.
Iran has seen a significant rise in drug-related executions in recent years. Statistics from the Iran Human Rights Organization suggest that executions on drug charges have climbed annually over the past four years, with Afghan nationals among those increasingly affected.
The uptick in executions of Afghan nationals in Iran comes amid heightened tensions and instability in Afghanistan following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Human rights groups have raised concerns that Afghan migrants in Iran are vulnerable to arrest and harsh sentencing, often without adequate legal representation.
International organizations and rights groups continue to call for Iran to curb its use of the death penalty, particularly for drug-related offenses, which often involve defendants from impoverished and marginalized communities.
