Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO); August 9, 2023: State media have reported the execution of five unnamed men for rape charges in Marand Prison.
According to the judiciary’s Mizan news ageny, five men were executed in Marand Prison on 9 August. The unnamed men were all sentenced to death for rape charges by the East Azerbaijan Criminal Court.
The men were arrested on charges of raping a woman on 21 May 2022.
In cases of rape, there is a high chance of defendants being tortured to make false confessions, which is used to issue death sentences. In Iran is one of the few countries in the world that issues the death penalty for rape. A lot of cases are also rushed without the defendants having access to a lawyer.
According to the 2022 Annual Report on the Death Penalty, at least 23 people were executed for rape charges in 2022 compared to 10 in 2021 and 12 in 2020.