Iran threatens death penalty: media under pressure – censorship increases!

Iran threatens death penalty: media under pressure – censorship increases!

In Iran, the situation surrounding the media and the death penalty is becoming increasingly dire. On June 14, 2025, the Iranian Revolutionary Garden (IRGC) issued a clear warning to all media and individuals who might collaborate with the Israeli secret service Mossad. According to a report by Euronews It was stipulated that such cooperation would be considered a serious offense punishable by the “maximum penalty”, probably the death penalty. The IRGC described any form of cooperation, be it in the field of intelligence or in cultural and media activities in support of the “Zionist regime,” as a criminal offense.

Euronews' Babak Kamiar mentions that these measures are likely to result in the silencing of local media. Instead of critical reporting on the regime, from now on only hymns of praise could be published. International media operating in Iran could also be affected by this new situation, making the already strained information situation even more difficult.

Horrible figures on the death penalty

Reporting on the human and legal consequences of these developments is further complicated by the alarming number of death sentences in Iran. In 2023, human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Iran Human Rights recorded a dramatic increase in executions to 834, a 40 percent increase compared to the previous year. The majority of these executions - over 60 percent - were carried out for drug-related offenses, reflecting the strict drug policy of the regime under President Ebrahim Raisi.

It is noteworthy that the Iranian authorities only officially announce a fraction of the executions. So the actual numbers could be even more drastic. Neither international corrections nor insights into jurisprudence were able to raise what was described as a cynical approach to human rights to an acceptable level. Statistics show that at least 481 people were executed for drug-related offenses in 2023, while executions with political motives, such as the recent protests under the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom!”, are not lacking.

Strengthening the repressive apparatus

The death penalty was also established as an instrument of the regime's repressive policy to maintain power. Aspect of this repressive policy is the unequal treatment of ethnic minorities, such as the Sunni Baloch, many of whom are executed. Although they make up only 5 percent of the total population, they are disproportionately represented among those executed, indicating a systematic imbalance.

According to a report by the daily news The death penalty is also an important means for the Iranian regime to suppress any opposition movement. It can be observed that the authorities repeatedly make vague accusations in order to consolidate their own position of power. Several human rights organizations are calling for urgent reform of death penalty laws, particularly for underage offenders, which continue to be imposed unabated and brutally.

In conclusion, speculation about the future development of reporting and human rights in Iran is alarming. Only time will tell if and how international pressure can affect the Iranian government as its people suffer under an increasingly repressive regime.