UN warns Iran has executed at least 56 people since March
The United Nations announced on Wednesday that the Islamic Republic of Iran has executed at least 56 people since 19 March in cases involving security-related charges. The UN stated that this trend reflects an increasing use of the death penalty to suppress dissent and instil fear within society. Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, reported that according to UN data, 27 of those executed were convicted in cases linked to anti-government protests. In a statement, Türk expressed concern over the rise in executions and death sentences since March, as well as the continued use of capital punishment to intimidate the population and silence opposition. The UN warned that more than 100 additional individuals are currently at risk of execution in similar cases involving national security charges. Türk also raised concerns regarding the ongoing use of the death penalty for non-political offences, highlighting the high number of executions related to drug-related crimes. The High Commissioner urged Iranian authorities to immediately halt all executions and initiate a process to abolish the death penalty. He further expressed alarm over the lack of due process, the violation of defendants' rights, and the fairness of trials that result in capital sentences. Iran's diplomatic mission in Geneva did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters at the time of publication. Iranian officials have consistently defended the country's judicial system, asserting that legal proceedings are conducted in accordance with domestic law and that the death penalty is necessary to maintain public order and national security. Iran remains one of the countries with the highest execution rates globally, a practice that has frequently drawn criticism from the UN and international human rights organisations.