The National Council of Resistance of Iran claims that the Iranian government is preparing to execute 27 prisoners. This follows on the heels of more than 60 executions that have been carried out in recent weeks, Digital Journal reported on June 8.
Iran places inmates in solitary confinement in the days leading up to their execution. Over the past few days some 20 prisoners in Ghezel Hessar Prison of Karaj were transferred to solitary confinement. Another seven prisoners were transferred to solitary confinement at the Adel-Abad Prison of Shiraz.
These prisoners have been condemned to death and will almost certainly be executed in the near future. Executions in Iran are generally carried out by hanging.
The NCRI also alleges that several of the prisoners were abused prior to being placed in solitary confinement. Prisoner special guards reportedly beat some of the prisoners who were attempting to resist their transfer to solitary confinement.
As the prisoners are now in solitary confinement, their well-being is currently unknown.
Iranian dissidents, however, allege that at least some of the people are being executed are dissidents for political reasons, such as participating in protests and distributing anti-government propaganda.
As Iran is one of the world’s more reclusive countries, and the local media is heavily censored, it is difficult to confirm or refute the allegations. The Iranian government, however, does have an established history of executing dissidents.
Political prisoners have been executed for allegedly “waging war against God”, and other clearly political crimes. This past February two Kurdish activists were executed for distributing propaganda and participating in a dissident group.
The honey moon phase for President Hassan Rouhani, appears to be over. Rouhani promised to end nuclear sanctions and restore economic prosperity in Iran, but has failed to deliver either so far.