By Tyler Yates
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran — Since the beginning of 2011, Iran has been executing an average of almost two people a day.  This rise in the use of capital punishment comes as the present governing Islamic regime fights to prevent a pro-democracy movement, similar to those occurring in neighboring countries, from gaining a significant foothold in Iran.

Political uprisings have become a part of Iran’s history so it is surprising that the country has been so silent as Arab Spring revolts break out all over the Middle East.  It now appears that the Iranian government’s harsh and violent crackdown may be one, if not the, root cause for the lack of a similar uprising in Iran.

While Iran is itself reporting a large number of executions, many human rights organizations worry that even more executions are happening in secret.  Amnesty International says that Iran has acknowledged executing 190 people since the beginning of 2011, but there have been reports of at least 130 more.  These numbers are backed by reports from both Iran Human Rights (IHR) and the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran (ICHRI).

Hadi Ghaemi, an executive director of ICHRI feels that the executions are “a clear message that the state has no hesitation in using violence and applying it, no matter how arbitrarily, in holding power.”

The use of executions as a means to intimidate and prevent popular uprisings is nothing new in Iran, but the growing number of executions taking place in public is leaving human rights organizations deeply disturbed.  So far this year there have been 13 known public executions.  This is compared with 14 that took place all of last year.  In most instances those who are publicly hanged are left up on construction cranes for all to see.

Iran claims that the executions are related to drug trafficking, but many outside observers have questioned this notion.  Of those executed at least two have been identified as known political activists, and it seems too coincidental that the number of executions has risen when the likelihood of public uprising is also on the rise.

In response to Iran’s rise in executions, United Against Nuclear Iran has launched the Cranes Campaign.  This campaign has the goal of educating crane manufacturers on how Iran is misusing their products, and getting those manufacturers to renounce their business ties with Iran, until it becomes a civilized member of the international community.  The U.S. companies Terex and Caterpillar and Japan’s Komatsu have all ended their business ties with Iran.

For more information, please see:

Philadelphia Inquirer — What’s Keeping Iran Quiet — 11 July 2011

Care2 – Human Rights Groups Denounce Iran’s Rising Execution Rate — 10 July 2011

The Guardian — Iran escalates use of capital punishment — 7 July 2011

Los Angeles Times — Iran’s execution binge — 6 July 2011