UN Human Rights Council Condemns Iran's Escalating Use of Death Penalty Amid Continued Crackdowns

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Iran continues to escalate its use of the death penalty, particularly against protesters, and intensifies crackdowns on women's rights and internet freedom. Severe prison conditions and allegations of torture persist.

📌 Key developments

• [Oct 1] Forty-six states at the UN Human Rights Council condemned Iran's escalating use of the death penalty on September 30, expressing particular concern over the execution of protesters following the January 2026 crackdown.
• [Oct 1] Amnesty International called on Iranian authorities to immediately halt plans to flog singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight others with 74 lashes each. An appeals court in Qom upheld their sentences on September 25 for performing without a hijab in a 2024 livestreamed concert.
• [Oct 1] Deputy Communications Minister Mohammad Hafez Hakami warned that the spread of Starlink could deliver the 'final nail in the coffin' of Iran's ability to control cyberspace. Authorities continue arrests, seizures, and criminal penalties for Starlink equipment, with the law permitting the death penalty for related espionage or confrontation with the state.
• [Sep 30] Mahboubeh Shahbani, an Iranian woman sentenced to death over earlier protests, issued a plea from Mashhad Central Prison for international intervention. She was transferred to solitary confinement on September 28 after being notified of her death sentence on September 26.
• [Sep 30] Death-row protester Alireza Sepahi was reportedly shot four times during his arrest and subjected to weeks of torture in custody. His case is now before the sentence enforcement office after a retrial request was rejected without a hearing.
• [Sep 29] The Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Mozhdeh Hashemi Bazargani, a Red Crescent worker, following an alleged coerced confession obtained under torture.
• [Sep 30] A report by the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center (IHRDC) detailed severe consequences for debtors, including years in prison, hiding, and suicide attempts. Official figures show an average of 10,087 people were held for civil financial judgments in 2022-23.
• [Sep 29] Judiciary chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei demanded a renewed, nationwide crackdown on women violating compulsory hijab laws, alleging that 'social abnormalities' and 'nudity' distress 'religious people' and 'patriotic citizens'.
• [Sep 30] Accounts from Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan describe severe overcrowding, poor sanitation, infectious diseases, and drug shortages, with over 70 prisoners reportedly dying from illnesses in the past five months.

💡 Why it matters

These developments underscore Iran's escalating human rights abuses, including the use of capital punishment as a tool of repression and the systematic suppression of fundamental freedoms. The regime's efforts to control information access and enforce strict social codes indicate a hardening stance against dissent and individual liberties.

🎭 People in the news

• Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Ejei — Judiciary chief who demanded a renewed crackdown on women violating compulsory hijab laws.
• Mohammad Hafez Hakami — Deputy Communications Minister who warned that Starlink could end state control of the internet.
• Parastoo Ahmadi — Singer sentenced to 74 lashes, a two-year travel ban, and a two-year ban on artistic activities for performing without a hijab.
• Mahboubeh Shahbani — Protester sentenced to death who issued a plea for international intervention from prison.
• Alireza Sepahi — Death-row protester reportedly shot and tortured during arrest, whose retrial request was rejected.
• Mozhdeh Hashemi Bazargani — Red Crescent worker whose death sentence was upheld following alleged coerced confessions.

👀 What to watch

• Any further statements or actions from the UN or other international bodies regarding Iran's human rights record.
• Updates on the judicial status and potential executions of Mahboubeh Shahbani, Alireza Sepahi, and Mozhdeh Hashemi Bazargani.
• Further enforcement actions by Iranian authorities regarding compulsory hijab laws or the use of Starlink satellite internet.