Iran’s alarming execution rate in 2024, registering at least 975 deaths, demonstrates a serious crackdown against dissent, raising international human rights concerns.
Quick Takes
- Iran executed at least 975 people in 2024, marking a significant increase in the use of capital punishment.
- This figure is the highest since Iran Human Rights (IHR) began recording executions in 2008.
- The 2024 execution count represents a 17% increase from the 834 executions recorded in 2023.
- Executions are considered a tool of political oppression by the Islamic republic.
- An average of five people were executed daily in the last three months of 2024 amid rising tensions.
Record-Breaking Execution Numbers
In 2024, Iran carried out at least 975 executions, marking the highest number since documentation began in 2008 by Iran Human Rights (IHR). The Norway-based organization, in cooperation with French group Together Against the Death Penalty, highlighted this as a significant increase from the previous year’s 834 executions. This represents a chilling 17% surge in the use of capital punishment within just one year.
The report framed the executions as a “horrifying escalation” and identified them as a key tactic employed to suppress political dissent and maintain control over an increasingly restless populace. Notably, Iran is identified as the second most prolific executioner globally, following China.
A Tool of Political Oppression
According to Iran Human Rights, the state’s application of the death penalty is deeply entrenched in its sharia-based judicial system, established post-1979 revolution. Crimes leading to executions include murder, rape, drug offenses, and politically charged accusations such as “corruption on earth” and “rebellion.” The average daily execution rate, reaching five people during the latter months of 2024, underscores the severity of the crackdown amidst heightening tensions between Iran and Israel.
“These executions are part of the Islamic Republic’s war against its own people to maintain its grip on power.” – IHR director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam
The total number includes public hangings and the execution of 31 women, the most in 17 years, signaling a broader state strategy aimed at instilling fear in the population, especially after the protests following Mahsa Amini’s death in 2022. Despite these chilling numbers, there are indications that even more individuals may have been executed that were not accounted for in the official report.
International Response and Future Outlook
The international community has largely viewed Iran’s execution practices in 2024 as a double-edged sword intended to quell domestic unrest and bolster state control. Reports allege two individuals, Mohammad Ghobadlu and Gholamreza Rasaei, were executed in connection with protests, sparking outrage over allegations of flawed trials and instances of torture. Such cases further emphasize the Iranian regime’s heavy-handed approach to political dissent.
Looking forward, the situation remains tense as at least 121 executions have already occurred in 2025, according to IHR. The persistent rise in execution numbers signals the regime’s continued strategy of severe punitive measures to dampen any form of resistance.
