Iran carried out at least 152 executions in August, marking a 70 percent increase compared to the same month last year, according to the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights. The victims included individuals accused of espionage, terrorism, murder, drug-related crimes, and even one charged with “corruption on earth,” a vague religiously rooted offense often applied to political dissidents and converts. Reports confirmed that some executions were carried out publicly, adding to the atmosphere of intimidation. Human rights groups warn that Iran’s justice system continues to rely heavily on forced confessions broadcast on state television, with Christian converts among those coerced into making televised statements. The Human Rights Activist News Agency (HRANA) also documented dozens of arrests for political speech in August, sentencing dissidents to lengthy prison terms, exile, and even lashings.

By HRANA’s count, Iran has already executed 837 people in 2025, with drug charges making up nearly half of the cases. United Nations officials cautioned that the true number could be higher and denounced the practice of public hangings as a violation of human dignity that traumatizes entire communities, particularly children. The surge in executions coincides with heightened tensions following Iran’s 12-day war with Israel in June and new accusations of espionage, with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps recently announcing the capture of eight alleged Mossad collaborators. International condemnation is also growing: Australia expelled Iran’s ambassador in late August after uncovering Tehran’s role in antisemitic terror plots targeting Jews within its borders. Meanwhile, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected any possibility of compromise with the United States, framing Iran’s defiance as a stance against foreign control.

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SOURCE: The Algemeiner