Tehran, Iran – A shocking international human rights report has revealed an unprecedented escalation in the pace of security and political repression within the Islamic Republic of Iran, confirming that the authorities in Tehran have exploited the current military atmosphere to launch a widespread campaign of arrests and executions targeting thousands of citizens and activists under the guise of confronting external threats.
The human rights news agency HRANA, in a comprehensive report titled “Between Missiles and Repression,” announced that since the beginning of the recent US and Israeli air and missile attacks on Iranian sites, the organization has documented the arrest of at least 4,023 people, in addition to the execution of 50 individuals in various Iranian provinces up to the end of last week. According to the report, the authorities leveled vague charges against those detained and executed, such as “espionage for hostile entities,” “acting against national security,” and “sending information related to the war and field damage to foreign media outlets.”
Suppressing freedoms and a near-total internet blackout
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that security forces imposed severe restrictions on freedom of expression and increased the number of military checkpoints and internal and external travel restrictions.
The report also noted the deteriorating humanitarian situation in overcrowded detention centers, coinciding with a widespread and unprecedented internet blackout. At times, connectivity in the country dropped to as low as 1% of normal levels, isolating Iran from the world and hindering the monitoring of human rights abuses.
Iranian judiciary confirms executions: The 40-day war
In the same vein, Iranian authorities officially confirmed these figures through their media arm. The judiciary’s Mizan News Agency published a report detailing the judiciary’s performance during what it termed the “Forty-Day War.” The agency acknowledged the execution of 10 individuals convicted of “espionage for the Israeli Mossad and the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).” The Iranian judiciary’s report also confirmed the execution of 29 other individuals during the same period, following court rulings accusing them of involvement in “espionage, terrorism, and participation in riots and armed operations” against state facilities and security forces.
