Iran executes 113 people in first 25 days of May

Iran’s authorities have executed at least 113 people in the first 25 days of May alone, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported Tuesday. 

This surge in executions comes amid escalating action against political dissent.

According to Iran Human Rights, an Oslo-based NGO, as of May 27, the number of executions in Iran for 2025 had reached 478, marking a 75 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024. 

HRW says if this trend continues, over 1,000 people, including ethnic minorities, political prisoners, and individuals accused of drug offenses, are at risk of being executed by the end of the year.

“Iran’s authorities have executed at least three people a day on average so far in 2025, with more dissidents and marginalized communities falling victim to the government’s brutal crackdown,” said Federico Borello, interim executive director of HRW. 

“This killing spree shows no signs of slowing down. The scale of this crisis underscores an urgent need for the international community to demand an immediate halt to all executions and a moratorium on the death penalty in Iran.”