News Center- Human Rights Watch (HRW) released its 740-page World Report 2024 on Thursday by reviewing human rights practices in more than 100 countries. Iranian authorities show no signs of ending their brutal repression of peaceful dissent across the country one year after nationwide protests that erupted after the death in morality police custody of Mahsa Jina Amini in September 2022, HRW said in its report.

“The authorities have also consolidated their efforts to increase punitive measures against women who defy compulsory hijab laws and businesses that do not enforce them on their premises,” the report said.

Iranian authorities have killed hundreds of protesters, arrested thousands of people, and tortured scores of detainees, including women and children.

Human Rights Watch documented far harsher use of repressive tactics, including arbitrary arrests and excessive use of force, in ethnic and religious minority areas of Kurdistan province and Sistan and Baluchistan province, which have played leading roles during the protests.

“Human rights groups are investigating the killing of more than 500 people, including 69 children, during the protests. The authorities have refused to open transparent investigations into security forces’ use of excessive and lethal force, torture, sexual assault, and other serious abuses, and have instead pressured families of victims to not hold public memorial services.”

‘Everyday life in Iran feels like a battle with corrupt, autocratic government’

“For many, everyday life in Iran feels like a battle with a corrupt, autocratic government that has brought down the full force of its repressive machinery to quash dissent,” said Michael Page, Middle East deputy director. “Iranian authorities should know that anything short of fundamental change will only deepen public anger and frustration against their mismanagement and brutality.”

‘Iranian authorities substantially increased the rates of executions in 2023’

The report also drew attention to the increase in the rate of executions in Iran. “Iranian authorities substantially increased the rates of executions in 2023. During the 2022 protests, judicial authorities drastically increased the use of vaguely defined national security charges that could carry the death penalty against protesters, including for allegedly injuring others and destroying public property. Following grossly unfair trials in which many defendants did not have access to the lawyer of their choice, Iranian authorities issued 25 death sentences in connection to the protests. As of September 20, the authorities executed seven people, though the Supreme Court overturned 11 other cases.”