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The Hill
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Iran executed at least 975 people last year, the highest number since 2015, UN report says
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Iran carried out executions at 'an alarming rate' last year with at least 975 people killed, the United Nations chief said in a report that also cited other human rights abuses, from barriers to freedom of expression to the use of torture and arbitrary detention. U.N. deputy human rights commissioner Nada Al-Nashif, who presented the report to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council on Wednesday, urged Iran to halt all executions as a first step toward a ban. She also called for urgent diplomatic negotiations to end the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. The 975 people executed in 2024 surpassed the estimated 834 in 2023 and was the highest rate of executions since 2015, said the report by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Four of the executions were carried out publicly. Iran carries out executions by hanging. Of those executed, 52% were for drug-related offenses, 43% for murder, 2% for sexual offenses and 3% for security-related offenses, the report said. The number of women executed also increased. According to information received by the U.N. human rights office, at least 31 women were reported to have been executed in 2024, up from at least 22 in 2023. Among those 31 women were 19 reportedly executed for murder, including nine convicted of killing their husbands in cases involving domestic violence, forced marriage or child marriage. Also among those executed were women and men connected to protests that began in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, who was arrested by Iran's morality police and accused of not wearing her head covering correctly. The report also said a disproportionate number of those executed were from Iran's minorities, with at least 108 Baluch prisoners and 84 Kurdish prisoners among those executed last year. Citing information received by the human rights office, the report said at least 31 people, including political dissidents, were executed for national security-related offenses such as spying for Israel. The rights office said it also received reports of torture, arbitrary detention and trials that failed to comply with due process and fair trial standards. As for the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, the report said information received by the rights office found that at least 125 journalists were prosecuted for their work in 2024. At least 40 female journalists were prosecuted or summoned for their reporting, the report said. Al-Nashif said Iran has cooperated with the human rights office, but Guterres regrets that the government has denied access to the independent international fact-finding mission on Iran that the Human Rights Council established.
2 days ago
- Politics
Iran executed at least 975 people last year, the highest number since 2015, UN report says
UNITED NATIONS -- Iran carried out executions at 'an alarming rate' last year with at least 975 people killed, the United Nations chief said in a report that also cited other human rights abuses, from barriers to freedom of expression to the use of torture and arbitrary detention. U.N. deputy human rights commissioner Nada Al-Nashif, who presented the report to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council on Wednesday, urged Iran to halt all executions as a first step toward a ban. She also called for urgent diplomatic negotiations to end the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. The 975 people executed in 2024 surpassed the estimated 834 in 2023 and was the highest rate of executions since 2015, said the report by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Four of the executions were carried out publicly. Iran carries out executions by hanging. Of those executed, 52% were for drug-related offenses, 43% for murder, 2% for sexual offenses and 3% for security-related offenses, the report said. The number of women executed also increased. According to information received by the U.N. human rights office, at least 31 women were reported to have been executed in 2024, up from at least 22 in 2023. Among those 31 women were 19 reportedly executed for murder, including nine convicted of killing their husbands in cases involving domestic violence, forced marriage or child marriage. Also among those executed were women and men connected to protests that began in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, who was arrested by Iran's morality police and accused of not wearing her head covering correctly. The report also said a disproportionate number of those executed were from Iran's minorities, with at least 108 Baluch prisoners and 84 Kurdish prisoners among those executed last year. Citing information received by the human rights office, the report said at least 31 people, including political dissidents, were executed for national security-related offenses such as spying for Israel. The rights office said it also received reports of torture, arbitrary detention and trials that failed to comply with due process and fair trial standards. As for the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, the report said information received by the rights office found that at least 125 journalists were prosecuted for their work in 2024. At least 40 female journalists were prosecuted or summoned for their reporting, the report said. Al-Nashif said Iran has cooperated with the human rights office, but Guterres regrets that the government has denied access to the independent international fact-finding mission on Iran that the Human Rights Council established.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Iran executed at least 975 people last year, the highest number since 2015, UN report says
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Iran carried out executions at 'an alarming rate' last year with at least 975 people killed, the United Nations chief said in a report that also cited other human rights abuses, from barriers to freedom of expression to the use of torture and arbitrary detention. U.N. deputy human rights commissioner Nada Al-Nashif, who presented the report to the Geneva-based Human Rights Council on Wednesday, urged Iran to halt all executions as a first step toward a ban. She also called for urgent diplomatic negotiations to end the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel. The 975 people executed in 2024 surpassed the estimated 834 in 2023 and was the highest rate of executions since 2015, said the report by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Four of the executions were carried out publicly. Iran carries out executions by hanging. Of those executed, 52% were for drug-related offenses, 43% for murder, 2% for sexual offenses and 3% for security-related offenses, the report said. The number of women executed also increased. According to information received by the U.N. human rights office, at least 31 women were reported to have been executed in 2024, up from at least 22 in 2023. Among those 31 women were 19 reportedly executed for murder, including nine convicted of killing their husbands in cases involving domestic violence, forced marriage or child marriage. Also among those executed were women and men connected to protests that began in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, who was arrested by Iran's morality police and accused of not wearing her head covering correctly. The report also said a disproportionate number of those executed were from Iran's minorities, with at least 108 Baluch prisoners and 84 Kurdish prisoners among those executed last year. Citing information received by the human rights office, the report said at least 31 people, including political dissidents, were executed for national security-related offenses such as spying for Israel. The rights office said it also received reports of torture, arbitrary detention and trials that failed to comply with due process and fair trial standards. As for the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, the report said information received by the rights office found that at least 125 journalists were prosecuted for their work in 2024. At least 40 female journalists were prosecuted or summoned for their reporting, the report said. Al-Nashif said Iran has cooperated with the human rights office, but Guterres regrets that the government has denied access to the independent international fact-finding mission on Iran that the Human Rights Council established.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Human Rights Council Hears Alarming Updates On Executions In Iran And Global Civic Space Crackdown
June 2025 At least 975 people were executed in Iran in 2024, the highest number reported since 2015, according to a report Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, presented to the Geneva-based Council on Wednesday. Of the total executions, just over half were for drug-related offenses, 43 per cent for murder, two per cent for sexual offenses, and three per cent for security-related charges. At least four executions were carried out publicly. 'These cases are marked by serious allegations of torture and due process violations, including lack of access to a lawyer,' said Ms. Al-Nashif. Violence and discrimination against women At least 31 women were reportedly executed in Iran last year, up from 22 in 2023. Of the 19 women executed for murder, nine had been convicted of killing their husbands in cases involving domestic violence or forced or child marriage, areas in which Iranian women have no legal protections. Some executions were reportedly linked to protests that began in September 2022 under the banner 'Women, Life, and Freedom.' Beyond executions, femicide cases surged, with 179 reported in 2024 compared to 55 the year before. Many stemmed from so-called 'honour' crimes or family disputes, often involving women and girls seeking divorce or rejecting marriage proposals. Ms. Al-Nashif also warned that the suspended Chastity and Hijab Law, if enacted, would pose a serious threat to women's rights. Penalties for violations such as improper dress could include heavy fines, travel bans, long-term imprisonment, or even the death penalty. In addition, of the 125 journalists prosecuted in 2024, 40 were women, many reporting on human rights and women's rights issues. Religious and ethnic minorities 'In 2024, the death penalty continued to have a disproportionate impact on minority groups,' Ms. Al-Nashif told the Council. At least 108 Baluchi and 84 Kurdish prisoners were executed in 2024, representing 11 and 9 per cent of the total, respectively. The report also raised concerns over the lack of official data on the socioeconomic conditions of ethnic and ethno-religious minorities and non-citizens, which hampers efforts to assess their situation and measure the impact of targeted policies and programmes. Looking ahead While Iran continued engagement with the Office of the UN High Commissioner and other human rights mechanisms, it denied access to the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran. 'Our Office remains ready to continue and build on its engagement with the Iranian authorities on the range of issues highlighted in the report of the Secretary-General for the promotion and protection of all human rights,' Ms. Al-Nashif concluded. Global 'Super Election' cycle undermined democratic participation In the Council's afternoon session, Gina Romero, UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, presented her report on how the 2023–2025 'super election' cycle has affected civic space around the world. In 2024, half of the world's population elected their local, national and international representatives. While Ms. Romero's report on this cycle does not assess the integrity of the elections, it identifies troubling global patterns of systematic repression of the exercise of peaceful assembly and association. 'The misuse of restrictive laws, smear campaigns, disinformation targeting civil society intensified globally in the super electoral cycle, undermining electoral participation and freedom of association,' she said. Political repression and violence As criminal justice systems are used to repress the opposition, leaders and members of political parties faced undue restrictions and political persecution. Civil society activists and election observers have also faced harassment, arbitrary detention, torture and murder. 'When political parties, civil society, and peaceful assemblies are suppressed, genuine political pluralism and competition cannot exist,' argued Ms. Romero. 'I stress that these conditions are incompatible with free and genuine elections and risk legitimising undemocratic rule.' Minority representation Ms. Romero also underscored that women's political leadership remains severely underrepresented, while LGBTIQ individuals and their organizations faced attacks during the super electoral cycle. Both groups experienced physical and online political violence, restricting their electoral participation and accelerating the decline of their rights after the elections. Calls to protect freedoms Amid global crises and a rapid democratic decline, Ms. Romero emphasized the urgent need to protect the rights to peaceful assembly and association throughout the entire electoral cycle. She outlined key recommendations, including strengthening legal protections before elections, ensuring accountability afterward, regulating digital technologies and promoting non-discriminatory participation throughout. 'Dissent is a fundamental element of democratic societies,' she concluded in Spanish. 'Rather than being suppressed, it should be welcomed and permanently protected.'
Qatar Tribune
4 days ago
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
UN rights chief urges world leaders to ‘wake up' to Gaza catastrophe
dpa Geneva UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has issued an urgent appeal to governments worldwide to take action in light of the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. 'Everyone in government needs to wake up to what is happening in Gaza. All those with influence must exert maximum pressure on Israel and Hamas, to put an end to this unbearable suffering,' Türk said on Monday at the opening of the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva. He said that a lasting peace is only possible through a two-state solution, with Gaza forming part of a future Palestinian state. His comments came as medical sources said at least 51 Palestinians have been killed since dawn across Gaza on Monday, including 36 seeking aid for their hungry families at distribution points, mostly in the Rafah area in the south. After 1,200 Israelis were killed and 250 kidnapped in unprecedented attacks by the Palestinian group Hamas in October 2023, Israel responded with a devastating bombardment of Gaza, killing more than 54,000 people according to Palestinian figures, and turning much of the area to rubble. Türk delivered sharp criticism of Israel's military campaign against Hamas, saying its 'means and methods of warfare are inflicting horrifying, unconscionable suffering on Palestinians.' He condemned what he described as 'disturbing, dehumanizing rhetoric' by Israeli officials and criticized the ongoing blockade of UN humanitarian aid deliveries, which has been in place since March, leading to a disastrous humanitarian situation. He also called for an investigation into deaths linked to food distribution efforts coordinated through the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial initiative backed by Israel and the United States. Civilians are often forced to walk miles through active conflict zones to reach the limited number of GHF aid centres. Dozens have been killed in the process. Israel and US reject UN Human Rights Council Israel, following the lead of the United States, has withdrawn from participation in the Human Rights Council, accusing both the Geneva-based body and Türk's office of systemic bias. President Donald Trump, upon returning to the White House, signed an executive order that cut US ties with UN bodies, including the rights council. The order said the council 'has protected human rights abusers by allowing them to use the organization to shield themselves from scrutiny.' Israel then announced it was boycotting the council, with the foreign minister saying it 'obsessively demonizes the one democracy in the Middle East - Israel.' Despite the absence of Israel and the US, the council retains the authority to examine human rights issues in any country. It operates as a subsidiary body of the UN General Assembly, with 47 elected member states serving three-year terms. While only members can vote on resolutions, all UN states may attend sessions as observers, voice their views, or be the subject of investigations. But while the council can establish commissions of inquiry, it does not have the authority to impose sanctions. It is also grappling with severe financial shortfalls as several member states shift budget priorities from international institutions to military spending. Nonetheless, the council will review around 100 reports from independent experts investigating crisis situations around the world, including in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Myanmar, Sudan and the Palestinian Territories. The session runs through July 9.
