18 NEW EXECUTIONS: 53 EXECUTIONS IN ONE WEEK

Iran Human Rights, May 21: According to the Iranian state media, 18 people were executed in four different Iranian cities yesterday and today. The Iranian authorities have confirmed the executions of 30 prisoners during the last seven days. IHR has received reports of 23 additional executions that have not been announced by the official Iranian media.

Iran Human Rights strongly condemns the execution wave going on in Iran and urges the international community to react. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, the spokesperson of IHR said: "We are puzzled by the silence of the international community despite the fact that about 50 people have been executed in Iran in just one week."

More than 80% of people executed in Iran are convicted of drug trafficking and tried by the revolutionary courts behind closed doors.

Amiry-Moghaddam has asked the UN to reconsider its cooperation with the Iranian authorities. He said: "We know that the UN and several western countries cooperate with the Iranian authorities in order to fight "drug trafficking". Many of those arrested as a consequence of this cooperation are executed. The world community must condemn these executions and stop any cooperation with Iranian authorities until there is 100% assurance that their cooperation will not contribute to the Iranian regime’s execution policy."

14 PRISONERS EXECUTED IN TEHRAN TODAY:

According to the state run Iranian news agency ISNA, 14 prisoners were executed in a Tehran prison early this morning.

All those executed today were convicted of drug trafficking. Names of those executed today will be published shortly.

TWO PEOPLE EXECUTED IN SANANDAJ (IRANIAN KURDESTAN) YESTERDAY, MAY 20:

The state run Iranian news agency Fars reported that two prisoners identified as "S.R." and "V.A." were hanged in Sanandaj prison yesterday morning. Both the prisoners were convicted of rape and robbery.

ONE PRISONER EXECUTED IN SARI (NORTHERN IRAN):

According to the official web site of the Iranian judiciary in Mazandaran, one prisoner was hanged in Sari prison (northern Iran) yesterday morning. The prisoner, who was not identified by name, was convicted of trafficking 50 kilograms of opium, said the report.

ONE PRISONER HANGED IN KERMANSHAH PRISON:

According to the Kurdish news agwncy Kurdpa, a Kurdish prisoner by the name of "Hiva Havas" was hanged in Dizelabad prison (Kermanshah) yesterday morning. The report did not mention the prisoner’s charges, but did state that Havas had previously been arrested in connection with the 2009 Iranian post-election protests. This report has not been announced by official Iranian sources.