UN: 482 Executions in Iran Over the Past Year

On Wednesday, March 1, the United Nations presented its annual report on the human rights situation in Iran during its session in Geneva, Switzerland. The report, which is a synthesis of the annual report of the Human Rights Council and the reports of the UN Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed concern over the high number of executions, particularly of juvenile offenders, and welcomed the change in the harsh punishment law for drug offenders. The 15-page report examined various issues related to human rights in Iran. It welcomed the change in the harsh punishment law for drug offenders, stating that this law changes the fate of 5,300 convicts facing the death penalty. The report noted that the Islamic Republic of Iran has cooperated with the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in official correspondence and responded to his questions but has not allowed him to visit Iran. It was pointed out that there has been no progress in the areas of freedom of expression, protection of minority rights, and allowing them to work in Iran, and that repression and restrictions in these areas continue. The report indicated that 482 people were executed in Iran last year. Among them, 213 were executed for drug-related offenses and 202 for murder. Additionally, 24 were executed for sexual assault charges, 16 for theft and armed robbery, and two for political crimes. Of those executed last year, six were women, and five were offenders who committed crimes before reaching adulthood. The number of executions in Iran was 530 the previous year and 969 two years ago. The report stated that although the number of executions in Iran has shown a decreasing trend, it still remains alarmingly high. According to the findings of this report, death row inmates do not have adequate access to legal support. It was also stated that drug offenders and defendants do not have sufficient access to lawyers and other legal rights. The report welcomed the change in the harsh punishment law for drug offenders and called on the Islamic Republic of Iran to quickly reduce the sentences of those who were to be executed under the previous law. The new drug punishment law, which was approved by the Guardian Council, came into effect on November 14 of this year. This law removed the death penalty from some cases and established alternative sentences such as life imprisonment, long-term imprisonment, and fines instead. The approval of this law elicited significant reactions. Following this, Sadegh Larijani, head of the judiciary, issued a directive asking judges to review all drug-related cases. Defendants facing death sentences or life imprisonment can also request a retrial. The report also examined the conditions of prisons in Iran, stating that some wards are overcrowded beyond standard limits, and the use of solitary confinement is alarming. The report referred to the violation of equal rights for women and the lack of adequate rights for minorities. It stated that access to social and occupational activities for minorities such as Baha'is, Sunni Baluchis, Yarsanis, and Kurds is severely restricted. According to this report, in the past year alone, 1,828 Kurds were arrested and imprisoned for charges such as environmental activism, eating and drinking in public during Ramadan, working as porters, and expressing joy over the establishment of a referendum for the independence of Kurdistan in Iraq. The UN report also mentioned the repression and lack of protective rights for the LGBTQ+ community. It noted the absence of protective laws to eliminate discrimination against individuals facing physical or mental disabilities. The lack of a necessary and suitable environment for opponents and critics and arbitrary arrests were other issues highlighted in this report. The report called on Iranian officials to cooperate with UN offices to improve the rights of all sectors of Iranian society and to implement necessary reforms.