23 April 2020 :

Amnesty International published its 2019 global review of the death penalty on April 21, 2020, reporting that global abolition was within reach. However, it said, “Iran retained its place as the world’s second most prolific executioner after China, where the exact number of people put to death remains a state secret.” Amnesty International underscored that Iran was among the countries which “continued to hide the full extent of their use of the death penalty by restricting access to death penalty information.” “Iran is second only to China in its use of the death penalty. It put to death at least 251 people in 2019, compared with at least 253 in 2018 – four of whom were below 18 at the time of the crime. However, a lack of transparency makes it difficult to confirm the real total number of executions – which may be far higher,” wrote Amnesty International in its press release. The Iranian regime uses execution as a tool to suppress and silence a disgruntled public the majority of whom live under the poverty line, are unemployed and deprived of freedom of expression. Not only Iran is the leading state in executions per capita, but it also tops the charts in the number of executions of minors and juvenile offenders. According to the registered tally by Iran HRM, the Iranian regime executed 273 persons in 2019, including 16 women and 9 juveniles.