UN Experts Alarmed by Surge in Executions in Iran, Urge Halt to Death Penalty

The experts highlighted that at least 81 individuals were executed in August, which marks a sharp rise compared to the 45 executions reported in July.

UN experts have raised serious concerns over a significant increase in executions in the Islamic Republic of Iran during August 2024, urging the government to immediately halt the use of the death penalty. The experts highlighted that at least 81 individuals were executed in August, which marks a sharp rise compared to the 45 executions reported in July. The total number of executions this year has surpassed 400, including 15 women.

The experts noted that nearly half of the August executions were for drug-related offenses, which they emphasized violated international standards. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Iran is a party, limits the death penalty to "most serious crimes," generally understood as intentional killing. Despite amendments aimed at limiting the use of the death penalty for drug offenses, Iran has seen a marked increase in such executions since 2021, with over 400 drug-related executions in 2023 alone.

The UN experts also expressed concerns over reports of violations of fair trial and due process rights, stating that many of the trials for individuals who were executed did not meet international legal standards. They cited the case of Reza (Gholamreza) Rasaei, a Kurdish protester who was executed despite serious concerns about the fairness of his trial, including allegations of torture and retracted testimonies.

The experts warned that the current implementation of the death penalty in Iran amounts to unlawful executions, particularly given the vague and broadly defined charges often used against dissidents. They stressed that wrongful executions are irreversible and reiterated their call for the Iranian authorities to halt all executions and respect international human rights obligations.