Human Rights Violations Report in Iran — First Month of 1404 (March 20 – April 20, 2025)
27-April-2025
Category: executions، Freedom of Expression، Prisoners، protesters، religious minorities، Repression، Women
26 April 2025
News Group: Freedom of Expression – Protests – Executions – Religious Minorities – Arrests – Pensioners – Women – Prisoners – Repression
Breathing in Confinement – Saturday, 26 April 2025:
The past month witnessed an alarming and unprecedented surge in the issuance and execution of death sentences in Iran — even during Ramadan, a time traditionally associated with mercy, reduced punishments, and greater respect for human dignity. The Islamic Republic not only refrained from halting or reducing its inhumane punishments but continued to escalate its systematic repression, widespread human rights violations, and violent crackdowns across all sectors.
Over the past month, security and judicial authorities have intensified their hardline policies, issuing harsh sentences against civil and political activists, artists, prisoners of conscience, and religious and ethnic minorities. Arbitrary arrests, executions, flogging sentences, the dismissal of protesting workers, further suppression of freedom of expression and assembly, and increasing economic pressures on various sectors of society were among the most prominent instances of human rights abuses during this period.
The present report, prepared by the Statistics Center of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran, aims to document widespread violations, raise public and international awareness, and support the victims of this unjust system by recording and analyzing the most significant human rights violations over the past month.
Summary of human rights violations from 20 March to 20 April, 2025:
Executions
Execution of at least 83 prisoners across various prisons in the country.
Issuance and confirmation of death sentences
Issuance of death sentences for 4 prisoners and confirmation of death sentences for 5 others.
Arrests and judicial sentences
Arrest of at least 82 citizens on political, religious, and social grounds; issuance of flogging sentences for 9 individuals; issuance of prison terms and monetary fines for 32 individuals totaling 49 years and 5 months of imprisonment and fines amounting to 820 million tomans; arrest of at least 4 political prisoners to enforce prison sentences.
Workers’ situation
Death of 30 workers and injury of at least 44 others due to workplace accidents; dismissal of at least 110 workers from production and service units.
Protests and civil movements
More than 350 protest actions by various groups, including teachers, workers, pensioners, and families of political prisoners.
Continuation of the political prisoners’ hunger strike campaign “No to Execution Tuesdays,” which, in its 64th week, expanded to 40 prisons nationwide.
Ongoing protest gatherings by families of political prisoners against the issuance and execution of death sentences.
Continued pensioners’ protests in response to deteriorating living conditions and unaddressed demands.
Executions Over the Past Month
This month saw a sharp surge in the implementation of death sentences. According to the Statistical Centre of the Prisoners’ Rights League of Iran (Breathing in Confinement), at least 83 prisoners were executed across different prisons in the country during this period.
The executions included:
- 6 political prisoners,
- 33 prisoners charged with drug-related offenses, and
- 44 prisoners charged with murder.
Among those executed were also 5 women and 2 juvenile offenders.
Notably, none of these executions were officially announced by government media; all information was solely released by human rights organizations and civil activists.
This dramatic increase occurred while, during the same period last year, only 24 executions had been recorded, and in the previous month (20 February–20 March), 19 executions were reported — a more than sixfold rise in just one month.
This is particularly striking considering that this month coincided with Ramadan, a time traditionally associated with mercy and forgiveness in Islamic culture. Yet, instead of easing punishments, the Iranian government escalated executions amidst ongoing social and political crises, using the atmosphere of Ramadan to intensify repression.
The execution of political prisoners during this month was especially prominent.
Six political prisoners — some of whom had spent years behind bars — including Malek Ali Fadaei Nasab, Farhad Shakeri, Abdolhakim Azim Gorgij, Abdolrahman Gorgij, and Taj Mohammad Khor Malibakhsh, were executed at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad after around a decade of imprisonment on charges of “baghi” (armed rebellion or membership in opposition groups).
Additionally, Ali Dehhan, a conscript soldier accused of killing four officers, was executed in Zahedan Prison.
This trend shows that the Islamic Republic increasingly uses political executions as a tool to instill fear in society and suppress public dissent.
According to the annual statistics compiled by the Prisoners’ Rights League (Breathing in Confinement), at least 1,170 executions were recorded across the country last year, including:
- 26 political prisoners,
- 38 women, and
- 9 juvenile offenders.
Additionally, 6 executions were carried out in public.
64% of all executions were related to drug offenses.
These figures clearly demonstrate that the Iranian government, with no regard for international human rights considerations, continues to systematically use the death penalty as a means of controlling internal crises and maintaining social control.
Here’s the English translation of your latest text, keeping it natural but faithful to the original meaning:
Unprecedented Increase in Executions, Especially During the Religious Month of Ramadan, Expansion of Political Prisoners’ Executions, Execution of Juvenile Offenders, and Suppression of Public Awareness
The sharp rise in executions — particularly during a religious month like Ramadan — the spread of political prisoner executions, the execution of individuals under the legal age, and the suppression of public knowledge about these events all point to the coercive and repressive policies pursued by the Islamic Republic.
This trend represents not only a violation of international human rights standards but also a clear breach of even the regime’s own internal and religious norms, raising serious international concern about the human rights situation in Iran.
Report on the Issuance and Confirmation of Death Sentences
Over the past month, a worrying wave of new death sentences and confirmations was observed.
At least 4 new death sentences were issued, and the death sentences of 5 other prisoners were confirmed by the Supreme Court. Among these, the death sentence of Hamid Hosseinnezhad Heidaranlou was upheld, and Amirhossein Maghsoudlou (Tataloo), a famous singer, was sentenced to death for “insulting the Prophet” after the overturning of his previous five-year prison sentence.
Four prisoners faced death sentences on murder charges, and two others were sentenced to death for separate charges. One individual was sentenced to death for sexual assault.
Throughout the previous year, death sentences were issued or confirmed for at least 221 prisoners, including 45 political prisoners.
The issuance of public execution sentences for two prisoners reflects the continuation of practices that violate basic principles of human dignity.
Flogging Sentences
Flogging sentences, which are classified as cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishments under international law, also continued.
At least 9 individuals were sentenced to flogging. The Court of Appeals of West Azerbaijan Province upheld flogging sentences against 9 members of Sardasht City Council on bribery charges. Although the number of lashes was not specified, the very issuance of these punishments underscores the ongoing use of inhumane practices.
Arrests and Prison Incidents
At least 82 individuals were arrested over the past month.
The detainees included former political prisoners, civil activists, students, artists, and citizens from marginalized areas such as the Kouhin region in Sistan and Baluchestan Province.
Many of these arrests occurred during Nowruz gatherings, civil activities, or military/security crackdowns.
Prison Sentences and Enforcement of Punishments
At least 22 political and religious prisoners received prison sentences or fines.
The total sentences amounted to 49 years and 5 months of imprisonment, and the fines imposed totaled over 8.2 billion rials.
The convicted individuals included mourning families, lawyers, artists, teachers’ union activists, ethnic activists, members of the Baha’i community, and Christian converts.
Worker Dismissals
At least 110 workers were dismissed last month.
This included:
- 40 workers from Iran Telecommunication Manufacturing Company (due to labor protests),
- 10 workers from a titanium mine (reportedly for being local workers), and
- 60 workers from Raouf Company in Bafq (dismissed under the pretext of “lack of need” following non-renewal of contracts).
These incidents reflect the suppression of labor demands and the exploitation of workers under unstable economic conditions.
Workplace Accidents
Due to poor safety standards and employer negligence, at least 30 workers lost their lives and 44 others were injured in workplace accidents over the past month.
According to official statistics, more than 2,000 workers die annually in Iran due to work-related accidents — although the deaths of informal workers like kolbars (border couriers) and fuel carriers are not included in these figures.
Nationwide Protests
Over the past month, more than 250 protest actions were held by various sectors of society.
Notably, the campaign “No to Execution Tuesdays” — led by political prisoners on hunger strike in more than 40 prisons — reached its 64th week.
Families of political prisoners sentenced to death also participated in these protests, gathering outside Evin Prison and in cities like Saqqez.
Other major protest movements included:
- Weekly gatherings of retirees from Social Security, Steel, and Telecommunications sectors protesting unfair pensions and poor living conditions,
- Oil and gas industry workers protesting against broken promises,
- Farmers in Isfahan marching in defense of their water rights, and
- Demonstrations by students, defrauded investors, and other vulnerable groups reacting to worsening economic and livelihood conditions.