Published on: 2026-08-05
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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August 5, 2026 Human Rights
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed deep concern over the sharp increase in executions and death sentences in Iran. According to Volker Türk, the highest form of punishment is used in this country to intimidate the population and suppress dissent. The High Commissioner called on Iranian authorities to suspend executions and move towards the abolition of this form of punishment.
Mass civilian protests began in Iran at the end of 2025 against the backdrop of an economic crisis and rapid inflation growth. During the suppression of the protests, thousands of people died or were detained. Additionally, the internet was down in the country for several months.
Last month, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran urged Iranian authorities to halt the execution of ten men involved in protests in Isfahan this year and sharply condemned the execution of two others carried out on July 19 in the same case.
According to the United Nations Human Rights Office, at least 56 people have been executed since March 19, 2026, on charges related to national security, including 27 individuals in cases connected to the protests earlier this year. More than a hundred others face the death penalty on similar charges. Additionally, the death penalty is widely applied to those accused of drug-related crimes.
According to reports, confessions in several cases were obtained under torture. Türks also pointed to serious violations of procedural guarantees, including unfair trials and the issuing of death sentences as a result of brief closed hearings.
“The absence of a fair trial and guarantees of due legal process causes deep concern,” the High Commissioner noted, emphasizing that some sentences reportedly were carried out just weeks after the arrest. In one case, 12 defendants were sentenced to death following a single three-hour closed session.
“The death penalty is incompatible with the right to life and undermines human dignity,” Turk stated. “There is no place for such a punishment in our world.”
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