Global Campaign Aims to Halt Iran's Drug-Related Executions

Over 80 Iranian and international human rights organizations have launched a coordinated campaign to stop executions linked to drug offenses in Iran. 

They released a statement on April 10 urging the international community to take action and called on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to pressure Iran to halt these executions.

The statement criticizes the lack of international response to the "alarmingly high number" of drug-related executions in Iran. 

It highlights a concerning rise in death sentences over the past three years, attributing it to the perceived low cost of execution for the Iranian government.

"The fear is that hundreds more could be put to death in the coming months if we don't raise the cost of these executions for the Islamic Republic," the statement warns.

Mahmoud Amiri-Moghadam, director of the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Organization, emphasizes the importance of raising awareness and political pressure. 

"Our goal is to sensitize the international community and public opinion to these executions and make them a costly political act for the Iranian government," Amiri-Moghadam explains.

The statement lists prominent signatories like the International Committee Against the Death Penalty and the Global Campaign Against the Death Penalty in Iran. 

Additionally, human rights institutions from various countries have joined the cause.

According to reports from Amnesty International and the Iran Human Rights Organization, at least 834 people were executed in Iran in 2023 alone, with over half for drug-related charges.

The statement criticizes the marginalization of those facing drug charges, noting that "these individuals often come from disadvantaged backgrounds." 

It also highlights the high execution rate among ethnic minorities in Iran, such as Kurds and Baluchis.