IRAN: AT LEAST 110 EXECUTED AT THE FIRST HALF OF 2019

According to the Iran Human Rights statistic department, at least 110 people have been executed between January 1 and June 30, 2019, in Iran. Only 37 out of 110 executions have been announced by the respective authorities or the Iranian media so far. 83 of those who have been executed, were sentenced to qisas (retribution in kind) for murder charges. 13 others were executed for rape charges, 9 for drug-related charges and 4 for Moharebeh (waging war against God) by committing armed robbery; and one for spying. Moreover, there were at least two juvenile-offenders among the prisoners who have been executed in the first half of 2019 in Iran. IHR has received reports about the execution of a third juvenile, and IHR is searching for more documentation in this case. The number of executions in the first half of 2019 shows a rise compared with the same period last year. In the first half of 2018, 98 executions were registered and reported by IHR. Out of the 98 people who were executed in the first half of 2018, 83 were sentenced to qisas (retribution in kind) for murder. At least four of them were juvenile-offenders. Of note, Iran Human Rights (IHR) only reports the unannounced executions if it could confirm those with two separate credible sources. Therefore, the actual number of executions may be even higher than reported. In fact, the database compiled by Hands Off Cain that collects information from different sites indicates, in the same time frame, 124 executions.