In a tragic turn of events, Hajar Atabaki, a 41-year-old mother of one, was executed in Qazvin Prison on January 20, 2024, following her conviction for drug-related crimes, as reported by the Iran Human Rights Organization.

Ms. Atabaki had been found guilty of drug offenses approximately two and a half years ago.

The execution raises concerns and renews discussions about the use of capital punishment, especially in cases related to non-violent offenses.

The reports from the Department of Statistics and Publication of Human Rights Activists for the year 2023 reveal a concerning prevalence of executions for drug offenses in Iran, constituting 56.4% of the total executions. For a comprehensive examination of the details and statistics surrounding the executions in Iran, refer to HRANA’s report.