On the World Day Against the Death Penalty, the alarming situation regarding the use of the death penalty in Iran, especially among national minorities such as the Baloch people, is once again highlighted. According to statistics collected by the Balochistan Human Rights Group, at least 30 Baloch prisoners have been executed in various prisons in Iran during the first six months of 2024. Additionally, in 2023, at least 184 Baloch prisoners, including 4 women, were hanged.
The executions of Baloch prisoners often occur without fair trials and with violations of their basic rights, including the denial of access to independent lawyers. Many of these individuals are subjected to torture during interrogations, and forced confessions are extracted from them. This process has raised serious human rights concerns regarding the situation of national minorities in Iran.
The lack of transparency and pressure on the families of those executed makes it difficult for these cases to reach the media. The families of the victims are threatened to refrain from publicizing or sharing information about the executions. As a result, the actual number of executions is likely higher than what is officially reported or verified by independent organizations.
Executions within the Baloch community, one of the most marginalized and oppressed social groups in Iran, not only violate human rights but also deepen social divisions and discontent in the region. The use of the death penalty as a tool for political and social repression, particularly against national minorities, has had severe consequences for human rights in Iran.
Therefore, we, the Balochistan Human Rights Group, call on the international community and human rights and political organizations to exert pressure on the Islamic Republic of Iran to halt the alarming trend of executions in Balochistan and across Iran. We urge them to use international mechanisms to compel the Iranian government to adhere to human rights conventions.
