Iran exploiting focus on Gaza to carry out 'unprecedented' number of executions, human rights groups say

Source: The Independent

Iran exploiting focus on Gaza to carry out ‘unprecedented’ number of executions, human rights groups say

Activists ask international community to ‘break silence’ on rising executions in Iran

Shweta Sharma
3 December 2023

Iran is exploiting the global focus on the conflict in Gaza as a pretext to carry out an “unprecedented” number of executions since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict on 7 October, human rights groups have alleged.

The Iranian government has executed more than 700 in 2023 alone, including 176 people since Israel launched a military offensive on Gaza after the Hamas attack, Iran Human Rights (IHR) said in a report.

Raising alarm over the escalating risk faced by political prisoners and protesters in Iran, IHR said executions have spiked since the war in Gaza as 176 have been killed in just 54 days.

Two other human rights organisations, Norway-based organisation Hengaw and Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) also confirmed a significant rise in executions in Iran.

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Original Independent link (registration required): https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-execution-gaza-war-hamas-b2457548.html