In a shocking revelation, the Paris-based Kurdistan Human Rights Network (KHRN) released its monthly report detailing widespread human rights abuses against Kurds in Iran. The report covers the months of June and July and has brought to light a series of grim events involving executions, torture, and unlawful detentions.

According to KHRN's findings, Iranian security forces have been relentless in targeting Kurdish activists and citizens in the western provinces of Iran. Within the past month alone, at least 54 individuals have been arrested, leaving their families in a state of distress and uncertainty. Two detainees have been sent to prison, while the whereabouts of the rest, including two children, remain unknown, exacerbating concerns over their safety and wellbeing.

The human rights network has documented at least 11 Kurdish prisoners who were subjected to execution on charges related to drugs or murder, highlighting the alarming frequency at which such executions are being carried out. The use of the death penalty for non-violent crimes like drug offenses has been a point of contention, and these executions have further raised concerns over the Iranian justice system's fairness and adherence to international human rights standards.

This wave of oppression comes amidst Iran's notorious reputation for carrying out executions, making it a significant contributor to the high number of executions in the Middle East and North Africa region. Amnesty International's report from May revealed that Tehran accounted for a staggering 70 percent of the executions carried out in the region during 2022. Disturbingly, the total number of executions in Iran reached 576 in 2022, representing an 83 percent increase compared to the previous year, where 314 individuals were executed.

The surge in drug-related executions has particularly been labeled as a "war on the poor" by Amnesty International, as it appears to disproportionately target marginalized and economically disadvantaged communities. The unjust targeting of vulnerable populations has drawn international condemnation and has raised questions about the fairness of Iran's legal system and its treatment of human rights.

To date, the Oslo-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) has estimated that at least 307 people have been executed during the first five months of 2023, indicating that the alarming trend of executions continues unabated.

As the world watches the unfolding human rights crisis in Iran, international organizations and advocates are calling on the Iranian government to put an end to these gross violations of human rights, respect the right to a fair trial, and abolish the use of the death penalty for non-violent offenses. The plight of Kurds in Iran demands urgent attention and concerted efforts from the international community to protect the rights and dignity of all individuals, regardless of their ethnicity or background.