World's Top Executioners: Iran and China in the Spotlight
Executions reach almost 1,000 in a single year within Iran.
In the global execution race, China takes the lead, but Iran doesn't fall far behind. According to a UN report, at least 975 people were executed in Iran last year, making it the second-highest executioner worldwide.
While China remains the kingpin in executions, its figures are typically shrouded in secrecy. Estimates suggest China executes more people each year than all other nations combined, though recent years have seen a slight decrease in the number. Iran, on the other hand, ranks as the second-highest executioner, a position it has held for several years now.
The UN report shows that over 50% of the death sentences in Iran were handed out for drug-related offenses, while 43% were for murder, 3% for security offenses, and 2% for sexual crimes. In a chilling revelation, at least four executions were carried out in public, as per the report.
Last week, another man was executed in Iran, connected to the mass protests in fall 2022 under the "Woman, Life, Freedom" slogan. The Iranian justice system sentenced him to death for "waging war against God."
Amnesty International placed Iran second to China in global executions last year, with most countries abolishing capital punishment.
Despite Iran's high execution rates, its transparency is limited, making exact annual figures hard to verify. Iran's brutal enforcement of the death penalty for drug trafficking and possession is a significant factor behind its high execution numbers. In addition, political prisoners, protesters, and individuals charged with "moharebeh" (waging war against God) or "corruption on earth" are often subjected to capital punishment.
The UN reports criticize Iran for using the death penalty extensively against protesters and political prisoners, an phenomenon condemned by the international community. China’s executions involve not just drug offenses but also crimes such as corruption, murder, and economic crimes. The Chinese government's strict enforcement of the death penalty forms part of its broader law and order strategy, hand-in-hand with political control.
The comparison between Iran and China highlights the ongoing international concerns regarding the use of the death penalty, particularly in countries where transparency is lacking and political factors exert significant influence on capital punishment practices.
Sources:
- ntv.de, mpa/dpa
- 2024 human rights and rule of law index
Related Topics:
- Iran
- Executions
- Human Rights
- United Nations
Further Exploration:
- Learn more about the global trend of capital punishment and its impact on human rights.
- Investigate the political, social, and economic factors influencing the high execution rates in countries like Iran and China.
- Examine the arguments for and against the use of capital punishment in different contexts.
- The UN report, along with Amnesty International, has identified Iran and China as the world's top executioners, raising international concerns about their employment policies, especially those related to capital punishment, within the broader context of human rights, politics, and general-news.
- Despite Iran and China leading the world in executions, their community policies regarding transparency in death penalty stats, as well as the political factors influencing their capital punishment practices, are a matter of ongoing debate and controversy.
