Since the beginning of this year (March 20, 2022), at least 4 public death sentences have been issued
19-May-2022
Category: executions
18-May-2022
Newsgroup: Execution –
Breathing in Confinement: Since the beginning of this Persian year (March 20, 2022), at least 4 public death sentences have been issued by the courts of the Islamic Republic. Mohammad Ghaedi and Sadegh Mahmoudi were both executed in public in Fooladshahr, Isfahan, for the murder of a police officer. An unidentified defendant was also hanged in public in Khorramabad for killing a police officer, and Dariush Rahimi was hanged in public on charge of killing a police officer in Khorasan Razavi.
Over the past year and a half, since the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic, public executions had been halted. However, from the beginning of this year (March 20, 2022), by issuing four death sentences in public, the government resumed this cruel and inhuman act.
The government needs to resort to such criminal actions in order to intimidate the society, confront the protest potential of the people and to impose its power.
The Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran has briefly explained the reasons for public execution and its detrimental consequences for the society:
Execution in public is a highly inhumane punishment that reinforces the will to revenge as well as hatred and increases the tendency to commit crimes. This method of punishment which is solely intended to intimidate the people, leaves horrible effects on the public conscience with serious harmful consequences. The death penalty in public causes psychological harm to the society. It is in fact the punishment of the whole society which promotes aggression and violence. Contrary to the claims of the perpetrators of this criminal act, execution in public is in no way a warning to the society, but causes the people to sympathize with the accused. In addition, this type of punishment imposes a double suffering on the offenders and as well punishes their family members and acquaintances who had no role in the crime.
Everyone, including children, can watch the execution scene in public without any restrictions, and this has a devastating and catastrophic effects on children. The legislature has banned children from attending criminal court hearings. Paradoxically however, children are allowed to witness executions in public.
In addition, Article 10 of the Rules of Execution of Sentences leaves the decision on the place of execution of the death penalties to the court. Not all judges however, have the same view about public executions. The execution in public is only for the purpose of intimidating people and is solely in the interests of the government of the Islamic Republic where it feels threatened by the society.
The apparent inability of Ibrahim Raisi to solve economic and political problems, and the expression of popular demands in current situation, is a clear reason for the resumption of the inhuman act of execution in public.
It is noteworthy that the UN Commission on Human Rights has recognized the public execution of punishments as the violation of human rights. Resolutions have also been repeatedly issued against the authorities of the Islamic Republic regarding human rights violations, including execution of death penalties in public.