The new report, issued on June 29, details the nature and extent of the executions, with “many of the charges against those executed being recorded as blasphemy and spying, but others include sorcery, sodomy, and practicing as a Shia Muslim,” the report states.
Those executed are brutally put on public display with signs describing their offenses against Islam. Jasmine Opperman, the director of Southern Africa Operations at the Terrorism, Research & Analysis Consortium, says she thinks there is a reason why the executions are so brutal.
“Underlying all these executions is the apocalypse ideology of the final battle between the believers and the unbelievers. ISIS is using executions to show its followers — and would-be followers — that the group is the only true representative of believers, not only in word but action, which is why executions are featured so prominently.”
The past week has seen an increase in the number of executions, possibly to set an example for the proper way to observe Ramadan. The group has conducted three straight days of executions and public chastisements. The SOHR report stated: “On June 30, 11 workers from al-Miadin endured live crucifixion and were forced to wear signs saying 70 lashes and to be crucified for 1 day for breaking the fast in Ramadan.”
Just this week, two children of unknown ages were publicly crucified in the Mayadin, Deir Ezzor province in eastern Syria because they had been accused of not properly fasting for Ramadan. Each child’s body also bore a sign explaining their violation during the Holy month.
The SOHR report also documented the killing of 1,787 civilians, including 74 children and 86 women, by shooting, beheading, stoning, throwing off a high place and burning in the provinces of Damascus, Rif Dimashq, Deir Ezzor, al- Raqqa, al- Hasakah, Aleppo, Homa and Hama.
The 143 ISIS members executed were trying to go back to their home countries. The unspoken rule when joining this group is simple. Once you join, there is no going back. The 143 executed were accused of “exceeding the limits in religion and spying for foreign countries.”