In brief
The yearly execution total in Iran has risen to 901, indicating a 6% increase from 2023, according to the UN's human rights chief, Volker Türk. He expressed alarm over the rising trend of executions, urging Iran to curb this alarming practice. The alarming figure shows a heightened use of the death penalty across various offenses, with drug-related crimes being predominant, yet dissidents and participants in the 2022 protests also faced execution. There was a noticeable uptick in the execution of women, particularly concerning cases involving crimes stemmed from severe personal circumstances. Reports reveal that ethnic minorities were disproportionately affected, with significant numbers of Kurds among those executed. International accountability and the call for a moratorium on the death penalty were reinforced, highlighting the contrasts between Iranian practices and international human rights standards.
Iran’s downward spiral into increased executions raises urgent calls for human rights reforms.The article text: At least 901 individuals were reportedly executed in Iran last year, including approximately 40 in just one week in December, as reported by the UN human rights chief. "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 Volker Türk. The reported total represents the highest figure in nine years, reflecting a 6% uptick from 2023, where 853 people faced execution. The majority of these executions were attributed to drug-related offenses; however, individuals linked to the protests that erupted in 2022 also faced lethal repercussions, according to the UN. More concerning is the rise in the execution of women—Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) reported at least 31 executions of women in 2024, marking a historical high since they began monitoring the death penalty 17 years ago. Among those executed was Leila Ghaemi, who killed her husband after discovering him assaulting her daughter, and Parvin Mousavi, who unwittingly transported illegal drugs under the pretext of medicine. Activists contest that drug offenses do not equate to the "most serious crimes" threshold for capital punishment under international law. Additionally, a report from the Kurdish rights group Hengaw indicated that over half of those executed were belonging to Iran's ethnic minorities; this included 183 Kurds. The UN's fact-finding mission noted that ethnic and religious minorities have faced intensified oppression by the state in response to the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests, ignited by the death in custody of a Kurdish woman for not adhering to hijab mandates.Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) also documented the execution of five juvenile offenders, which flies in the face of international law that prohibits executing those under 18 at their alleged offense time. Amnesty International noted that Iran accounted for 74% of all executions globally in 2023, not including the classified numbers from China, which is believed to carry out thousands of executions annually.As the evidenced increase in executions continues, global calls are intensifying for the Iranian regime to halt further executions and to impose a moratorium on the death penalty, ultimately striving for its abolition.
