Monthly report on human rights violations in Iran in December 2023
26-December-2023
Category: executions، Iran's Uprising 2022، religious minorities، Students، Teachers، Women
December 23, 2023
News group: protests – execution – ethnic minorities – students – women – suppression – 2022 uprising – teachers –
Breathing in Confinement: Statistics Center of the Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran published a monthly report on human rights violations in Iran.
According to this report, at least 105 prisoners have been executed in various prisons in Iran. The increasing number of executions in Iran has raised huge concerns.
Among those who have been executed, there are at least 8 political-ideological prisoners. Amnesty International’s report on the detainees of the 2022 uprising highlights the utilization of unprecedented violence in the extensive suppression of protesters.
Summary of the report on human rights violations in Iran – December 2023:
Execution of at least 105 prisoners
Nine prisoners received death sentences, and the Supreme Court confirmed
the death sentence of one additional prisoner
At least 315 citizens were arrested, two prisoners aged 18 and 19 lost their
lives in custody
Issuing a combined prison sentence of 308 years, 2 months, and 7 days, along
with fines for 97 citizens
At least 19 people were arrested for the execution of their sentences
Additionally, 56 workers lost their lives, and at least 146 workers injured in
work-related accidents
There have been over 280 protest movements conducted by various groups of
people
A report on human rights violations in Iran
December 2023
The Prisoners’ Rights League in Iran
(Breathing in Confinement)
The summary of Human Rights Violations in December 2023
Execution of at least 105 prisoners
Nine prisoners received death sentences, and the Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence of one additional prisoner
At least 315 citizens were arrested, two prisoners aged 18 and 19 lost their lives in custody
Issuing a combined prison sentence of 308 years, 2 months, and 7 days, along with fines for 97 citizens
At least 19 people were arrested for the execution of their sentences
Additionally, 56 workers lost their lives, and at least 146 workers injured in work-related accidents
There have been over 280 protest movements conducted by various groups of people
The implementation of the death sentence in December 2023
The authorities of the Islamic Republic continue to brutally and mercilessly kill prisoners. The vicious cycle of generating criminals and unfairly punishing the accused has always been the policy of Islamic Republic, marked by political, economic and cultural discrimination and inequality. They have held many individuals in prisons under inhumane conditions.
Recent statements by Yahya Ebrahimi, the parliamentary representative of Delfan city, reveal a staggering reality: death sentences for 1,000 to 2,000 individuals in this city alone are currently being enforced. This declaration sheds light on the immense dimensions of a tragedy, with its concealed aspects proving even more ominous than those brought to public attention.
In a continued and egregious violation of human rights by the authorities of the Islamic Republic in December, a minimum of 105 prisoners were executed. This grim tally includes at least 8 political prisoners, 57 prisoners with drug related charges, 37 prisoners on the charge of murder, one prisoner on the charge of waging war against GOD, another on the charge of espionage, and one more on the charge of rape.
- Gholam Rasool Heydari, a political prisoner, executed after originally receiving a life sentence in Shiraz.
- Milad Zohrevand, one of the detainees of 2022 uprising, was hanged in Malayer for the alleged murder of a security officer.
- Geda Ali Saber Mutlaq, a 62-year-old political prisoner accused of supporting The People’s Mojahedin Organization, was arrested in Rasht in 2019. He case was executed on the charge of participation in the murder of an intelligence agent in 1981.
- Kamran Rezaei, one of the detainees of the November 2019 protests, was executed in Shiraz on charges of murdering a Basij member. Reports indicate that he steadfastly denied the accusations throughout the entire interrogation and court proceedings.
- Ayoub Karimi, a religious and ideological prisoner from Mahabad, was executed after 14 years of imprisonment on charges of waging war against God, anti-regime propaganda, and the killing of a government-affiliated Friday imam.
- Hani Albu Shahbazi and Milad Bideh were executed for the murder of government agents and on political charges.
- Mohammad Reza Habibian was hanged for the murder of Abbas Ali Soleimani, Khamenei’s representative in Babol and a member of the Assembly of Experts (Khobregan Majlis).
Two prisoners, accused of committing crimes as minors, faced execution: Hamid Azari, who was 17 years old at the time of the murder, was executed in Sabzevar, and Adel Damani, who was 16 years old at the time of the crime, was executed in Chabahar.
An unidentified woman was executed on November 27 in Rasht’s Lakan Prison on a murder charge. Additionally, Samira Sabzian Fard, a female prisoner who was a victim of child marriage, was also executed on the same charge of murder.
Out of the 105 executions, only 11 cases were reported by state media, while human rights activists revealed the remaining 94. From March 20, 2023, to December 20, 2023, a total of 681 prisoners have been executed. While in 2022, the total number of executions reached 661 people. This year, 6 prisoners were publicly executed, and among those executed, there were 13 political prisoners, 4 prisoners of conscience, 13 women, and 7 individuals accused as minors.
Issuing death sentences
In December, at least nine defendants were sentenced to death, with an additional prisoner’s death sentence was approved by the Supreme Court. Therefore, since 20th of Mrach, a total of at least 95 prisoners have been sentenced to death, and the death sentences of 21 defendants have been affirmed by the Supreme Court. Among the sentenced prisoners facing the death penalty, four individuals have been designated for public hanging.
According to statements made by the Member of Parliament from Delfan city, between 1000 and 2000 prisoners in Delfan prison are reportedly facing the death sentence for drug-related crimes. These sentences have all been approved by the Supreme Court.
Issuance and execution of whipping sentences
Whipping punishment is viewed as a violation of human dignity and is recognized as a form of torture. This penalty is implemented in accordance with religious criminal regulations. Despite its prohibition by international legal and civil conventions, judges in Iran persist in issuing and authorizing this punishment as a legalized form of torture.
In December, whipping sentences were issued for three individuals. Soran Karmi received a whipping sentence from Branch 102 of the Sanandaj Criminal Court on charges of disturbing public peace and order and disobeying police officers. Political prisoner Mohammad Abolhasani was sentenced to 12 lashes for disturbing public order in a new case filed against him while incarcerated in Qazvin prison. Additionally, an individual accused of rape was sentenced to flogging as well as the death penalty. A woman was also sentenced to flogging for her involvement in the crimes committed by the this person.
Detentions
In the past month, a total of at least 315 people were arrested, including teaches and workers union activists, journalists, justice seeker families, Baha’i citizens, students of Sunni schools of religious sciences, social network activists, and other citizens were among the detainees.
In the continued suppression of protests in Balochistan, security and law enforcement forces arrested at least 253 students from Maulavi Abdul Aziz Mosque in the Murad Qoli area and Abuzar Ghafari School in the Karim Abad area of Zahedan. These two educational institutions for Sunni students are affiliated with the branches of Makki Darul Uloom Mosque in Zahedan. Additionally, on December 16, security and law enforcement forces conducted raids at Tohidi Mosque on Kausar Street and Tajweed Al Quran, also known as Qaderi Abdul Latif Mosque in Zahedan, leading to the arrest of an undisclosed number of students. Simultaneously, security forces arrested at least 10 religious activists (Jamaat Tabligh) at the mosque located in the Shirdan neighbourhood of Pishin City.
Prison Conditions
The treatment and living conditions for prisoners in various correctional facilities are extremely distressing and fall short of providing essential facilities, with the situation being particularly dire in the prisons out of Tehran. Insufficient access to medical care, coupled with reported instances of torture inflicted by interrogators, has led to the tragic outcome of some prisoners succumbing to death as a result of torture.
Arian Ghorbani, an 18-year-old accused of drinking alcohol, passed away in Shahreza prison. Mahmoud Rakhshani, a 19-year-old student arrested on September 3 endured torture and head injuries in the IRGC detention center. He remained in a coma for three months at Amirul Mominin Hospital and ultimately succumbed to his injuries in this hospital.
Imprisonment Terms and Detention for Sentence Enforcement
In December, judicial courts sentenced 97 individuals to imprisonment or fines, with 19 people subsequently arrested for the enforcement of these sentences. The cumulative prison terms handed down amounted to 308 years, 2 months, and 7 days. The convicted individuals encompassed a diverse group, including political activists, trade union activists, teachers, artists, journalists, workers, justice seeker families, Sunni clerics, ethnic activists, and Baha’i citizens.
On December 6, Amnesty International released a 155-page report titled “I was brutally raped.” Agnes Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International, remarked, “Our investigations reveal how Iranian intelligence and security agents have employed rape and other forms of sexual violence as tools of torture, punishment, and infliction of enduring sexual and psychological trauma on protesters, including children as young as 12 years old.”
Workplace Accidents
In December, a total of 56 workers lost their lives while on the job, and 146 workers sustained injuries due to inadequate safety measures and unsuitable working conditions. Insufficient adherence to standard safety protocols, a lack of proper training and supervision, and failure to implement effective workplace safety regulations are significant contributors to these accidents. From March 20th of this year to December 20th, the cumulative number of fatalities resulting from work-related accidents has reached at least 1,189 individuals.
According to Firozbakht, the Director General of the Forensic Medicine Organization of Isfahan province, in the past seven months, 1,680 workers were injured, and 104 workers lost their lives in work-related accidents. Additionally, Salimkhani, the Director General of Kermanshah Forensic Medicine Organization, reported that the number of individuals injured in work accidents reached 470 in the last eight months.
Furthermore, 27 male workers lost their lives. According to the statement from the Forensic Medical Organization of the country, the total number of workers who died in labour accidents in 2022 was reported as 1,900.
Worker Dismissals
While there are no documented statistics on the exact number of dismissed workers, misguided economic policies and rising inflation have led to the shutdown of numerous production units, resulting in the unemployment of thousands of workers. According to Moghimi, Deputy Minister of Security, approximately 13% of industrial units in industrial towns have been forced to close, totalling around 6,900 units.
Nationwide Protests
In the past month, over 280 protest movements and rallies conducted by various groups of people across the country.
Various segments of society, including national and social security retirees, teachers, telecommunication retirees, steelworkers, nurses, oil industry workers, marketers, labourers from various sectors, individuals affected by property loss, and others, came together to organize continuous and weekly gatherings. These gatherings provided a platform for protesting against insufficient living conditions, salary disparities intensified by inflation and rising prices, and advocating for various demands, including the call for union representation.
Thousands of workers from Isfahan Iron Smelter voiced their discontent with challenging living conditions and inadequate wages through strikes, marches, and protests. They called for the implementation of the job classification and assimilation plan. Additionally, employees and workers from various regions of the country’s oil industries organized protest gatherings, advocating for the removal of the maximum salary limit, elimination of the cap on maximum years for retirement payments, and the reimbursement of excess tax deductions.