The United Nations says Iran has executed at least 56 people on national security charges since March 19, warning that Tehran is using capital punishment to suppress dissent and intimidate the public.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said 27 of those executed were convicted in cases connected to anti-government protests. He also warned that more than 100 others face possible execution on similar charges.
Türk urged Iranian authorities to halt executions and begin moving toward abolition of the death penalty. He raised concerns about due process, defendants’ rights and the fairness of trials resulting in death sentences.
The UN also criticized Iran’s use of capital punishment in drug-related cases.
Iranian authorities defend the practice as lawful and necessary for public safety and national security, but Tehran remains among the world’s leading executioners and faces international condemnation.
