Using Executions to Spread Fear in Iran

Published July 05, 2009 @ 11:19AM PT

The government of Iran executed 20 people yesterday in Tehran, all convicted of drug trafficking in the last five years. These executions are reprehensible on their own, but even more frightening considering they are likely aimed at spreading fear among protesters.

"34 people have been executed in Iran in the past 4 days, and 26 of the executions have taken place in Tehran. There is no doubt that these executions are meant to spread fear among the people and suppress further the pro-democracy movement in Iran" said Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, spokesperson of Iran Human Rights.

Via Death Penalty News.

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Peace to Iran

Posted by Rebecca Fowler on 07/05/2009 @ 06:43PM PT
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Wow! That's all I can say right now.

Posted by John Morris on 07/05/2009 @ 08:16PM PT
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How helpless I feel. I can't imagine living in such fear. Sending my humble thoughts of compassion ....

Posted by Dale Marie on 07/05/2009 @ 11:35PM PT
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   Its scary that those pictures can make me fearful all the way over here in the united states!

   Over the past week I have felt so empowered by the Iranian protesters and, although I still fully support them, I am also scared for them.

    Those brave protesters are an inspiration to us all.

Posted by alyssa dockter on 07/06/2009 @ 10:19AM PT
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How sad that those people have to live in fear for their lives and what will happen if they "step out of line". On the other hand, if the people that they are hanging are ACTUALLY criminals responsible for the youth of their country becoming addicted to drugs and beginning a very horrible and undescribable lives for themselves, then maybe they deserve it. To be honest, I cannot think of a better way for them to go. Unfortunatly, the reasons behind their deaths are mearly to be made an example to those who have every right to protest and are not doing anything wrong. It makes me so angry to know that Iran is sinking this low.

Posted by Melissa Sims on 07/06/2009 @ 12:08PM PT
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This is a really disturbing, yet politically clever move, by whomever thought this up.

Seriously, just reading the comment above... I think they did just what they were aiming to do - publicly hanging some people to spread fear.

Yet by picking some people "convicted of drug trafficking in the last five years" - it suddenly makes this acceptable in the minds of some people... (or so it seems?)

I'm not entirely suprised, but damn - that's some really dirty, low-down B.S. to pull = In response to a large portion of the People of Iran protesting a rigged election.

Unless the stoty has changed very recently (while MJ's death and whatnot is filling the most of the news), From what I heard the elders(?) who ran/oversaw the vote have said that, Yes indeed - the ballot boxes were stuffed in a fairly large number of cities.

As in, more votes than there were eligible voters in those cities/towns - but it was "only in a few cities" and only a couple million votes (like 2 or 3 million) and that, even if they threw out all those those Akmadinajad still won by like 8 million!

Aand they counted the millions of ballots in... what was it a few hours?Less than a day!

I mean seriously, we just got the Al Franken/Norm Coleman thing settled - 8 months after the "2008" Election.

Not that the other guy would've necessarily been any better - but a rigged vote is a rigged vote, you can't just blow that off and then expect your population to accept it... unless you do it in Florida.

Ok, yeah - that was innapropriate, I gotta get a nap...

Posted by Bryan Snowden on 07/07/2009 @ 11:54AM PT
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Matt has worked and volunteered in various capacities in criminal justice reform for several years. When he's not blogging, he works as the Online Communications Manager at the Innocence Project. Views expressed here are Matt's, and don't represent the positions of the Innocence Project.