Iran judiciary in conflict over executions

Despite a decrease in the number of executions, Iran continues to be the nation with one of the highest rates of executions in the world, mostly for drug-related crimes. According to Amnesty International, Iran executed a reported 567 people in 2016. In 2015, the number was 977. Still, at 567 people, Iran was executing more than one person a day. This issue has been openly discussed in one of the unlikeliest places: Iran’s judiciary.

Hojat al-Islam Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, the spokesman for Iran's judiciary, in a Aug. 9 speech addressed Iran’s high execution rate with respect to drug-related crimes. “Do we want to solve all of our problems with punishments and increasing punishments?” he asked. “Some say, you have increased the punishment but there is still crime. On the issue of illegal drugs, we have laws from many years ago and many times [the punishment] has been increased and now they want to decrease it.”