'This may be the last time you hear my voice': Political executions surge in Iran since start of war
Political executions in Iran have surged since the onset of the war, with at least 32 political prisoners executed since February. The UN has expressed concern over the increasing use of the death penalty to suppress dissent. This year, Iran is on track to exceed last year's record number of executions, which was the highest since 1989.
- ▪Mehrab Abdollahzadeh was executed earlier this month after being arrested during protests in 2022.
- ▪The UN has verified at least 32 political executions since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.
- ▪Iran's use of the death penalty is being weaponized as a tool of political repression to instill fear among the population.
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'This may be the last time you hear my voice': Political executions surge in Iran since start of war34 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleCaroline HawleyandGhoncheh HabibiazadKURDPAMehrab Abdollahzadeh was executed earlier this monthThe line is crackly. But the voice of Mehrab Abdollahzadeh is clear and, given the circumstances, surprisingly steady.He's on death row in western Iran. He speaks quickly - as if time is running out. And his message is desperate."You are hearing my voice from Oromiyeh Central Prison, and this may be the last time you hear it," he says in a voice note obtained by the Kurdistan Human Rights Network."From the very first day of my arrest, they forced confessions out of me through torture and threats, confessions that were entirely false.
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