Iran has executed 1,639 people in the first 104 days of 2025, an average of more than four executions per day, according to human rights organizations monitoring the Islamic Republic's judicial system.
The figure represents a significant acceleration from 2024's already record-breaking pace and includes four protesters sentenced to death this week for participation in demonstrations following the September 2024 death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.
According to Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based monitoring organization, the executions include 43 women and at least 12 individuals who were minors at the time of their alleged offenses. Approximately 60 percent of those executed were convicted of drug-related charges, which carry mandatory death sentences under Iranian law.
The four newly condemned protesters—identified as Arman Abdolali, Mehdi Mohammadi, Hossein Kalantari, and Reza Taheri—were convicted of "waging war against God" and "spreading corruption on earth," catch-all charges frequently applied to political dissidents. Their trials reportedly lasted less than two hours, with defense attorneys given minimal access to case materials.
To understand today's headlines, we must look at yesterday's decisions. Iran's execution rate has accelerated steadily since the 2022-2023 protest movement challenged the regime's legitimacy. The Islamic Republic executed approximately 850 people in 2023 and 1,100 in 2024, making the current year's pace the highest since the 1980s.
Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Iran Human Rights, characterized the executions as "a tool of political repression disguised as criminal justice." He noted that execution rates invariably spike following periods of civil unrest or international pressure on the regime.
The four protesters sentenced this week were arrested in November 2024 during demonstrations in Tehran and Isfahan. According to family members who spoke with international media, all four showed signs of physical abuse consistent with torture during brief court appearances.
