Iranian press review: Sharp rise in death penalty use sees almost 1,000 executed
Rights groups report sharp rise in executions
Two human rights organisations have raised concerns about the significant increase in the number of executions in Iran in 2024.
On 20 February, the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Organisation and the France-based group Together Against the Death Penalty reported at least 975 executions took place in Iran last year, the highest number recorded in a single year since 2008.
In their latest report, they stated that only 10 percent of executions in the country are officially announced by the judiciary.
The report said executions have increased each year since the Women, Life, Freedom anti-government movement began in 2022. The numbers were 582 in 2022 and 834 in 2023.
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These organisations also highlighted a rise in executions targeting political opponents. In 2024, at least 10 people linked to opposition groups were executed, including nine Kurdish prisoners.
Two protesters from the Women, Life, Freedom movement, Mohammad Ghobadlou, and Reza Rasaei, were also executed on murder charges.
Another section of the report focused on the execution of Afghan refugees. It revealed that 80 Afghan citizens were executed in 2024, compared to 25 in 2023 and 16 in 2022.
Qatar’s ruler visit renews criticism of Tehran’s foreign policy
Qatar’s ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, travelled to Iran last week where he met with the supreme leader and president, sparking criticism in the country of Tehran’s foreign policy in the Middle East.
The visit fuelled speculation that Qatar may be attempting to mediate between Iran and the US. However, it also highlighted Tehran’s policies as a factor driving neighbouring countries to strengthen ties with Washington.
'Unlike the Islamic Republic, Qatar makes decisions based on national interests and rational thought - not ideology, stubbornness, or impractical policies'
- commentator
Commenting on the visit, Qasem Mohebali, former director general of Iran's foreign ministry's Middle East and North Africa department, said that Arab states in the region see Iran as their primary security concern.
"These countries once hosted US military bases to counter Saddam Hussein, but today, they see no greater threat than Iran. That’s why they remain aligned with the US," Mohebali said.
Meanwhile, commentators close to the camp of moderate politicians took to social media to criticise leader Ali Khamenei's comments urging Qatar to distance itself from the US and assist Iran in accessing frozen funds blocked by sanctions.
One user on X wrote: "Unlike the Islamic Republic, Qatar makes decisions based on national interests and rational thought - not ideology, stubbornness, or impractical policies. If Iran had been more pragmatic, it wouldn’t need to depend on a small sheikhdom to resolve its issues today."
Experts alarmed by high suicide rate
At a two-day conference titled “Desirability, Inequality, and Mental Health,” social scientists and psychologists warned that the rising suicide rate in Iran is alarming.
Local media reported that experts at the conference cited economic pressures, social restrictions, and gender inequalities as the leading causes of this increase.
Hamid Yaghoubi, a psychologist and head of the Iranian Suicide Prevention Association, was amongst the experts who spoke at the event. Yaghoubi, who had previously faced prosecution for criticising the lack of transparent suicide statistics in Iran, reported that 7,603 people died by suicide in the country last year.
“We have told the world that our suicide rate is 4.3 percent, while surveys suggest it is 7.3 percent,” he said.
Statistics presented at the conference showed that housewives, workers and students are the most affected groups.
Metro event sparks debate over compulsory hijab
An event promoting the hijab has stirred controversy in Tehran after organisers built a replica of the shrine of Imam Hussein ibn Ali inside a busy metro station.
The three-day event, held in mid-February at Tajrish metro station, aimed to encourage women to wear the Islamic scarf. Organisers described the initiative as a way to strengthen religious values.
In a video shared by the establishment supporters, unveiled women and girls are seen emotionally placing scarves on their heads after participating in a virtual pilgrimage to Imam Hussein’s tomb.
Opponents of compulsory hijab in Iran have strongly criticised the event, calling it a “repentance room”.
Many referenced the Women, Life, Freedom movement that led widespread protests against the mandatory hijab law and other restrictive social laws.
Social media users reacted with sarcasm and criticism. One person on X wrote, “They promised us meat and gold, but now they’ve built us a repentance room!”
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