This report describes AI’s continuing concern about the death penalty in Iran. AI fears that many political prisoners are executed after unfair trials; trials are usually summary and held in camera. One political prisoner who was executed was Nasrin Rasooli, a physics graduate arrested in 1981 on charges of supporting the PMOI; she became mentally ill and was released in 1986 but was rearrested in 1988 and summarily executed. Executions on religious grounds are reported, e.g. those of Reverend Soodmand and Bahman Samandari, a Baha’i businessman. Summary executions have followed the recent unrest in Mashhad and executions for criminal offences, especially drug-related, are reported to have increased.
