Since January 2024, over 410 executions have been recorded. Image courtesy of Iran Open Data. Used with permission.

This article was originally published in Persian by IOD. A translated and edited version is published on Global Voices under a media partnership agreement.

Two years after Mahsa Zhina Amini‘s death ignited the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests in Iran, executions in the country have skyrocketed by 80 percent, according to human rights data. Activists have linked this surge to a broader strategy by the Islamic Republic to instill fear and suppress dissent. Rights groups have condemned the executions, which often follow trials that lack transparency and fail to meet international standards of justice.

The 22-year-old Iranian-Kurdish woman was arrested by Iran’s so-called morality police on September 13 for allegedly violating the country’s controversial hijab law. She died in custody three days later, reportedly from brain trauma caused by “multiple blows” to the head. Her death triggered a wave of protests against the regime. The protests, spearheaded by women, quickly spread across the country and internationally, with the slogan “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (Woman, Life, Freedom) becoming its most recognizable chant.

In response to the mass mobilization, the Iranian government engaged in violent suppression that included the use of fatal force, torture, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based and sexual violence, according to Amnesty International.

For more see our Special Coverage of the “Women, life, freedom” Iran revolts

The Iran Human Rights (IHR) group reports that from October 2022 to September 2024, at least 1,452 people were executed, a significant rise from 779 in the two years prior to the 2022 protests. According to Human Rights Watch, most of those executed are convicted on drug-related or vague national security charges.

In August 2023 alone, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights reported at least 93 executions, though IHR and HRANA suggest the figure exceeds 100. Some months in 2023, like May, saw exceptionally high numbers, with 145 executions. Since January 2024, over 410 executions have been recorded, reflecting a deepening crackdown.

The Iranian government remains silent on these figures. This leaves non-governmental organizations outside the country to document and highlight the scope of the repression. Iran holds the grim distinction of having the highest per-capita rate of documented executions globally.