UN human rights chief condemns 'alarmingly high' number of executions in Iran

Thirty-eight people were executed in July, raising this year's total to 345

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed concern at reports that Iran executed 29 people over two days this week. AP

The UN human rights chief has expressed deep concern over reports that Iran executed 29 people over two days this week.

A statement from Volker Turk's office on Friday called the number of executions “alarmingly high”.

The statement confirmed that 38 people were executed in July, raising the total this year to at least 345, including 15 women. Most of the executions were related to drug offences or murder.

“Imposing the death penalty for offences not involving intentional killing is incompatible with international human rights norms and standards,” a statement from the High Commissioner's office said.

The UN said minorities including Kurds, Arabs and Balochs were disproportionately affected by the executions.

In January, four Kurds were executed after being accused of spying for Israel and plotting to bomb a weapons plant in Isfahan.

“Several executions were carried out with neither the prisoner’s family nor legal counsel being informed,” the statement added.

The UN also expressed “recurring concerns” about the lack of due process and fair trials in many cases.

“It is time for Iran to join the growing consensus worldwide towards universal abolition, by imposing a moratorium on executions, with a view to ultimately abolishing the death penalty,” it said.

Rights groups reported in March that Iran executed 834 people last year, the highest number since 2015.

They accused the country's regime of using the death penalty to spread fear following protests sparked by the September 2022 death in police custody of Mahsa Amini that shook the country.