Joint Statement by Four Nobel Peace Prize Winners: The Islamic Republic Must Be Held Accountable for 'Instrumental Use of Executions to Intimidate Opponents'

Nobel Peace Prize winners Shirin Ebadi, Jody Williams, Tawakkol Karman, and Leymah Gbowee issued a statement on Wednesday, May 15, calling on the international community to hold the Islamic Republic accountable for its instrumental use of 'executions to intimidate opponents.' The statement reads: 'In a horrific act, the Islamic Republic has intensified its use of the death penalty against political activists, human rights defenders, and protesters. Amnesty International reports that the number of executions in Iran has reached its highest level in the past eight years, with an average of one person hanged every day on baseless charges.' The statement adds: 'Since the onset of the nationwide uprising 'Women, Life, Freedom' in September 2022, which was triggered by the murder of Mahsa Amini, thousands have been arrested and hundreds killed. This crackdown includes the detention and imprisonment of human rights defenders, artists, writers, and journalists.' The signatories of the statement say that 'women are particularly affected by the system of gender apartheid in Iran, and the systematic violation of human rights and blatant disregard for human dignity necessitate a decisive international response.' The Nobel laureates have urged the global community to compel the Islamic Republic to halt the imprisonment and execution of activists and to release all political prisoners. They also emphasized the need for a comprehensive diplomatic strategy to pressure the Iranian regime to stop gross human rights violations and gender-based violence, calling for greater support for civil society movements, especially women's initiatives. The signatories concluded by requesting that the UN Human Rights Council prioritize the issue of gender-based persecution and gender apartheid in its efforts to accurately and comprehensively reflect the dimensions and severity of these abuses in Iran. On Tuesday, April 23, Amnesty International released its 2023 report, stating that the Islamic Republic has further restricted freedom of expression in Iran and intensified the repression of women, torture, and executions. The report specifies that Iranian authorities have severely suppressed fundamental freedoms by using unlawful force and unfair trials against activists, journalists, and critics to silence protests. According to the report, women and girls who defy mandatory hijab laws face increasing violence and discrimination, including arbitrary arrests, harassment, and even murder, while the Iranian government has severely repressed and pressured political activists, human rights defenders, and minorities through widespread enforced disappearances, torture, and other inhumane and degrading treatment. Amnesty International's report on April 23, 2023, deemed the increase in discrimination and violence against ethnic, religious, sexual minorities, and other 'marginalized groups' as systematic, adding: 'Iranian authorities continue to use the death penalty as a tool for political repression, with the number of executions in the past year increasing, many of which result from unfair trials.'