Iran’s Escalating Use of the Death Penalty Draws International Condemnation

A stark report from a human rights group highlights a dramatic surge in executions in Iran, with Afghan nationals and other marginalized groups disproportionately affected.

In a disturbing monthly update, the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights has documented that Iranian authorities executed at least 187 individuals in September 2025 alone. This figure represents a 140 percent increase compared to the same period in the previous year, signaling a severe acceleration in the state’s use of capital punishment.

Execution of Afghan Nationals

A particularly alarming aspect of this surge is the execution of foreign nationals, primarily from Afghanistan. In September, at least 10 Afghan citizens were executed in Iranian prisons. Among them was one woman, highlighting the vulnerability of Afghan migrants within Iran’s judicial system. The report indicates that many of these individuals were convicted on drug-related charges, which human rights groups consistently argue are pursued through judicial processes that lack fair trial guarantees.

A Crisis of Transparency and Fair Trials

Hengaw’s report underscores a profound lack of judicial transparency in Iran. While the group documented 187 executions in September, official Iranian sources and judiciary-affiliated media reported only nine—a mere four percent of the total figure. This vast discrepancy makes independent verification difficult and points to a state policy of obscuring the true scale of its use of the death penalty.

Rights organizations argue that this opacity often masks deeper injustices. Defendants from marginalized communities, including impoverished Afghan refugees, frequently have limited access to legal representation, translators, and a robust defense, leading to convictions based on confessions obtained under duress.

The Broader Pattern of Repression in 2025

The September data is part of a much wider and more alarming trend for the year. According to Hengaw, Iran has executed more than 1,000 people so far in 2025. This places the country consistently among the world’s top executioners. Human rights defenders and international observers contend that this reliance on capital punishment is a deliberate tool of political repression and social control, instilling fear and suppressing dissent.

International Response and Calls for Action

The escalating execution rate has drawn condemnation from the United Nations, various governments, and human rights watchdogs. International bodies have repeatedly urged Tehran to:

• Immediately institute a moratorium on the death penalty.

• Allow independent international monitors to observe its judicial proceedings.

• Ensure all trials, especially those carrying a death sentence, meet international standards of fairness.

Critics warn that without external pressure and accountability, the cycle of secrecy and state-sanctioned violence in Iran will only deepen, with the most vulnerable populations continuing to pay the highest price.

Based on the Hengaw report cited, at least 10 Afghan citizens were executed in Iran in the single month of September 2025. It is crucial to note that this is a snapshot of a specific period and part of a larger, ongoing toll. Obtaining a precise, comprehensive number for “the past years” is challenging due to the Iranian government’s lack of transparency. However, various human rights groups have consistently reported that Afghan nationals make up a significant and disproportionate percentage of those executed in Iran each year, often on non-violent drug charges.

 

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