Iran: Rise in executions deeply troubling UN Human Rights Chief

Press releases Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights – 07 January 2025


GENEVA 
– UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Tuesday said he was deeply troubled by the marked increase in executions in Iran last year. At least 901 people were reportedly executed in 2024, including some 40 in one week alone in December. At least 853 people were executed in 2023.

“It is deeply disturbing that yet again we see an increase in the number of people subjected to the death penalty in Iran year-on-year,” said Türk. “It is high time Iran stemmed this ever-swelling tide of executions.”

Most of the executions last year were for drug-related offences, but dissidents and people connected to the 2022 protests were also executed. There was also a rise in the number of women executed.

“We oppose the death penalty under all circumstances,” said the High Commissioner. “It is incompatible with the fundamental right to life and raises the unacceptable risk of executing innocent people. And, to be clear, it can never be imposed for conduct that is protected under international human rights law.”

The UN Human Rights Chief urged the Iranian authorities to halt all further executions, and to place a moratorium on the use of the death penalty with a view to ultimately abolishing it.

Some 170 States have either abolished the death penalty or imposed a moratorium on its use.

Source: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/01/iran-rise-executions-deeply-troubling-un-human-rights-chief

Dear Mr. Volker Türk,

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We, the Iranian human rights organizations in Austria, express our great appreciation for your report on the alarming increase in executions in Iran in 2024 and your call for the abolition of the death penalty in this country.

The publication of this report underlines the importance of fighting against the death penalty and defending life and human dignity.

In this context, a broad campaign called “Tuesdays Against Executions” has been running for more than fifty weeks in the prisons of various Iranian cities against the death sentences in Iran.

We sincerely hope that your push for an immediate halt to executions and your appeal to the Iranian authorities to abolish the death penalty will lead to positive results and represent a decisive step towards justice and alleviating the suffering caused by this inhumane punishment. These efforts feed the hope of many people who long for a future without violence.

We, the human rights organizations, support your campaign and hope that you will continue your efforts by monitoring human rights violations and taking appropriate action through the United Nations bodies to immediately stop the Islamic Republic from further killings and improve the human rights situation in Iran. Please continue to raise your voice for those who are deprived of their fundamental rights.

With gratitude and respect                                                                                  Vienna – 01.13.2025

Dr. Behrouz Bayat
Komitee zur Verteidigung der Menschenrechte im Iran, Österreich

Prof. Dr. Siroos Mirzaei
Medical Professionals for Human Rights in Iran – Austria

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *