Since the beginning of May, at least 21 prisoners have been executed. The number of executions in April 2025, with 170 prisoners executed, marks the highest execution rate in recent years.
Morad Delaei Milan Executed in Maku Prison
Iran Human Rights Society, Monday, May 25, 2025 – Morad Delaei Milan, a prisoner from Masjedlu village in Chaldaran County, was executed in Maku Prison at dawn on Monday, May 25, 2025. He was arrested approximately five years ago on drug-related charges.
Morad Delaei Milan was married and a father of seven children (five daughters and two sons). Informed sources have reported that the judicial process leading to his death sentence was fraught with significant ambiguities. Nevertheless, the execution was carried out without precise details about the case being disclosed.
In recent months, the widespread wave of executions in various Iranian prisons has raised serious concerns among human rights activists and civil society. While drug-related charges are among the most common reasons for death sentences, critics view this trend as a tool for exerting pressure and suppression within society.
According to human rights organizations, Iran has one of the highest execution rates globally. Executions are used not only as a form of punishment but also as a tool of repression, particularly in cases where judicial transparency is questioned, and defendants are denied fair trial rights.
As this trend continues, concerns are growing for the lives of other prisoners facing similar charges.
Conflict of the Death Penalty with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights explicitly states: “Everyone has the right to life.” This right is absolute and cannot be deprived except through a verdict issued by a competent court for a crime recognized as such under the law.
The death penalty, as the ultimate punishment, directly contradicts this article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for the following reasons:
Right to Life: The right to life is a fundamental and inalienable right. The death penalty deprives individuals of this right.
Irreversibility: Once the death penalty is carried out, judicial errors cannot be rectified.
Torture and Inhuman Treatment: Some methods of execution are considered torture or inhuman treatment, which violates the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Violation of Human Rights Obligations Regarding the Death Penalty
Under Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Iran is a signatory, the issuance and execution of the death penalty are permissible only with full guarantees of a fair trial and for the most serious crimes. In many similar cases, the lack of transparency, restrictions on the defendant’s legal rights, and rulings issued by courts lacking sufficient independence are deemed violations of this fundamental human rights principle.
Follow Iran Human Rights society on social networks:
Telegram /Twitter /Instagram / YouTube / Facebook
Join Iran Human Rights Society on Twitter
Discussion about this post