Volker Türk called on the Iranian authorities on Monday to immediately halt the use of the death penalty, warning of a disturbing escalation in executions in 2025. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), at least 612 people were executed in Iran during the first half of 2025—more than twice the 297 executions recorded during the same period in 2024.
In his statement, Türk highlighted that over 40 percent of those executed were convicted on drug-related offences, while many others faced charges under vaguely defined crimes such as “enmity against God” or “corruption on earth”, commonly employed to punish dissenting voices. Concern was also raised over due process, noting that numerous death sentences were issued following closed proceedings that failed to meet basic fair‑trial guarantees.
The High Commissioner further warned of a proposed espionage bill under review by Iran’s Guardian Council that would expand capital punishment to include acts such as online communication with foreign media or alignment with external ideologies, calling for the bill’s rescission. Türk emphasised that the death penalty is inherently incompatible with the right to life and human dignity and that Iran should follow global momentum toward abolition by implementing an immediate moratorium.
UN experts and special rapporteurs have independently voiced similar concerns. In her first UN Human Rights Council report, the Special Rapporteur on Iran described the extraordinary rise in executions during 2024, over 900 recorded cases, which made Iran the highest per capita user of capital punishment, with roughly half of executions tied to drug‑related charges. Another OHCHR press release noted that 901 executions occurred in 2024, up from 853 in 2023, and that the increase in women and protest‑related executions was especially troubling. Türk termed this trend “deeply disturbing” and reiterated demands for a moratorium and reform.
Human rights NGOs and UN experts have also condemned recent developments. Independent experts criticised the upholding of the death sentence against Pakhshan Azizi, a Kurdish activist, stating that her case failed to meet the threshold of “most serious crimes” required by international law and involved allegations of torture and denial of fair legal representation. In August 2024, UN experts reported at least 93 executions, including 15 women, in a single month, citing persistent procedural violations and misuse of broad criminal charges to justify capital punishment.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch reported that 478 people had been executed by May 27, 2025, representing a 75 percent increase compared to the same period in 2024. Notably, 113 executions took place within the first 25 days of May alone, prompting urgent calls for intensified international pressure. By Georgia Green | Newcastle Law School, AU, Jurist
