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Massive increase in executions in Iran

Anmoderation:
EU states and human rights groups are concerned about a massive increase in executions in Iran. 177 people were killed last year, an up of 70 percent on the year before. Executions were up sharply this year as well, and the Iranian leadership has started to kill people in public in a move that some believe is intended to intimidate opponents. Reza Abadi filed this report. It was adapted by Kirsten Heppner for Newslink.

1) Autorin:
137 persons have already been executed all over the country. But only recently have the execution been made public. Most recently, hundreds of curious bystanders watched the hanging of two men in the capital Teheran, who had been accused of killing the deputy general prosecutor. Seven more met the same fate in the North-Eastern city of Mashad after they had been found guilty of rape and kidnapping. Only minutes before they were put to death, the men were interviewed for a TV report. On Tuesday, a murderer was hanged – once again in public – in the northern province of Golestan. According to Teheran, this new wave of executions is part of a campaign aimed at improving security in society. Former Iranian president Abolhassan Bani-Sadr, however, says that the government wants to intimidate the population and stifle any kind of protest.

2) OT 1 (Bani-Sadr (voice over))
The regime actually feels threatened on the domestic front as well as from the outside, he says. So, it needs a common enemy in order to create crises which in turn are intended to cover up the entire miserable situation. At the same time, these executions are supposed to spread fear and terror among the population.

3) Autorin:
Teheran has so far ignored criticism from the West, including protests from the EU and some is its member states accusing them of interfering with internal affairs. Human rights groups are also concerned that the latest wave of executions of criminals would expand to include political dissidents as well. Especially after two Iranian-Kurdish journalists were sentenced to death on charges of compromising national security and espionage. Up to now, there have been no protests to this kind of public executions in Iran. Even local human rights activist have remained silent. However, the strategy is not going to be effective in the long term, says Simin Behbahani from the Iranian Writers’ Association.

4) OT 2 (Simin Behbahani (voice over))
As soon as the citizens see that any kind of opposition will lead to public executions, they will feel intimidated and suspend their activities for a while. But in the long run, there is bound to be a severe reaction, because the Iranian people are not going to put up with this.

5) Autorin:
Kirsten Heppner, Deutsche Welle Radio.

(Deutsche Welle
"Newslink"
11. August 2007)

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