More than 80 human rights organisations have issued a joint statement condemning the execution of Afghan nationals in Iran and calling for an immediate halt to the practice.

Expressing deep concern over the rising number of executions, the groups reported that 32 Afghan prisoners have been executed in Iranian prisons in the first five months of this year.

The statement, signed by 84 organisations and released on Wednesday, 4 June, warns of an accelerating trend in the execution of Afghans in Iran since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan.

The groups cautioned that dozens more Afghan prisoners could face execution in the coming months.

According to the statement, the number of Afghan citizens executed in Iran rose from 16 in 2022 to 80 in 2024, following the Taliban’s resurgence.

The organisations stressed that many of these executions are carried out in secret, without public notification. Reports indicate that out of dozens of executions last year, only six were officially announced.

The statement said that Islamic Republic of Iran has demonstrated a free hand in carrying out death sentences against the poorest and most marginalised members of society, those whose executions carry the least cost for the regime.

The groups also criticised Iran’s judicial process as often “unfair,” noting that many convictions are based on confessions extracted under torture.

The statement further highlighted an increasingly hostile environment towards migrants in Iran, accusing the government of fuelling anti-migrant sentiment to divert public attention from economic mismanagement.

The signatories called on human rights defenders, political figures and the public to speak out against the wave of executions of Afghan nationals in Iran and urged the international community not to remain silent.

Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, director of Iran Human Rights and one of the signatories, said: “Afghans living in Iran are among the most vulnerable in society and are treated as low-cost victims by the Islamic Republic’s execution apparatus.”

The statement was issued alongside reports of the execution of Shoaib Abdulhaq Mohammadi, a 23-year-old Afghan man, who was put to death in Taybad Central Prison on drug-related charges. Human rights groups such as Hengaw and Haalvsh have been documenting and reporting on these executions.