UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokeswoman Liz Throssell expressed her “extreme concern” over reports that Iranian authorities executed at least 29 people across the country in two days this week, bringing the total number of executions this year to at least 345, including 15 women.
“This is an alarmingly high number of executions in such a short period of time. We have also confirmed that 38 people were executed in July.”
Throssell noted that nearly half of the executions since the beginning of 2024 have been for drug-related offenses. “Imposing the death penalty for crimes that do not involve intentional killing is inconsistent with international human rights norms and standards, as we have repeatedly stressed,” he said.
“We also remain concerned about the lack of due process and fair trial standards in many of these cases. Several executions have been carried out without the prisoner’s family or lawyer being informed,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokesperson said, adding that minorities, including Kurds, Ahwazi Arabs and Baloch, continue to be disproportionately affected by these executions.
“It is time for Iran to join the growing global consensus for the global abolition of the death penalty by imposing a moratorium on executions with the aim of abolishing the death penalty once and for all,” said Liz Throssell.