20 Afghans executed in Iran so far this year

KABUL (Ariana News): An independent Iranian rights watchdog reported that 20 Afghan nationals were among 300 recorded executions in Iran between January and July this year.

In its latest report, Iran Human Rights reported at least 49 executions took place last month, 36 of whom were executed in the last 11 days of the month.

The watchdog reports that of the total 300 executions, “15 were women, 42 Baluch and 20 Kurdish minorities, and 20 Afghan nationals were amongst those executed.”

The organization’s director, Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, said: “We are particularly worried about the new wave of executions of Kurdish civil activists and drug death row prisoners in the coming weeks and months.”

IHR said of the 300 executions recorded by the organization, only 9 percent (28 executions) were announced by official sources.

The remaining 91 percent were confirmed by Iran Human Rights through two independent sources.

The watchdog did not disclose details around the executions of the Afghan nationals but late last month the organization reported the execution of Motiollah Barkezi as having taken place on July 24.

Barkezi had been on death row for drug-related charges and was executed in Ghaen Prison, IHR reported.

The watchdog said at the time, Barkezi, a 40-year-old father of two children, was from the border village of Mahi Roud.