Iran set to execute another 45 people as European delegates visit
The National Council of Resistance of Iran claims
that the Iranian government is preparing to execute at least 45
prisoners in the coming days. At least 35 people were executed on
Monday, with more likely to be hanged in the gallows over the coming
days.
Those due to be executed include Afghani and
Pakistani citizens, as well as Iranian. At least three of those executed
were women.
Yesterday's executions
coincided with a visit by a European Parliament delegation. Many of
those executed were executed for drug-related crimes. Iran is a major
drug trafficking route, especially for heroin originating from nearby
Afghanistan. A large portion of the smuggled drugs ultimately end up in
Europe.
According to NCRI, a parliament in exile, executions in Iran have been
increasing in recent weeks. NCRI alleges that at least some of the death
sentences have been politically motivated, with dissidents being
charged with the crime “enmity against God”.
This vaguely defined charge, called Moharebeh in Persian, is supposed to
be limited to persecuting prisoners who have been convicted in taking
up arms, or supporting armed revolution against the government.
Critics claim,
however, that the Iranian government frequently using the criminal
charge to persecute people who have engaged in no armed conflict and are
not linked to any armed groups.
For example, following the largely peaceful 2009 Green Revolution in
Iran, the government charged several protesters with moharebeh, even
though the most serious crimes committed were the throwing stones and
breaking windows. What would be a misdemeanor in most countries, resulted in a death sentence for at least 11 protesters, a punishment that has been upheld by Iran's highest courts.
Some Iranian legal experts argue, however, that such disproportionate punishment is out of line with both Iran's legal system, and Sharia law.
Protests have simmered since the 2009 Green Revolution, likely due to
the government's harsh crackdown on dissidents. At least 80 people were
killed during the protests, which were sparked by alleged election fraud
after former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won 60 percent of the vote
amid widespread voting irregularities.
Despite the election of perceived moderate Hassan Rouhani in 2013, the
cleric-led government appears to be increasing efforts to stifle any
protests or dissent. While Rouhani has promised to increase personal
freedoms, hardliners within the government have successfully pushed
through increased restrictions on social media, and arrests over
political dissent continue.
Last November, six Iranians were arrested for making a music video for
Pharrell Williams song “Happy”. The video showed the men and women
dancing together, and the women were not wearing the required Islamic
dress for being in public. The young men and women were sentenced to one
year in jail and 91 lashes. The jail terms have been suspended barring
any further violations.
According to Amnesty International, Iran trails only China in regards to the number of people executed per year.
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