Iran has executed more than 200 people this year: UN
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Sulaiman
- . May 10, 2023
- . Update: May 10, 2023 3:48 pm
The Islamic Republic of Iran has executed 209 people so far this year, according to the United Nations. Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has urged the Iranian authorities to stop the execution process immediately.
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On Tuesday, Volker Turk revealed that Iran has executed a “frighteningly” high number of people since January 1. According to Turk, Iranian authorities have executed on average more than ten people per week since January 1.
The United Nations official reportedly said, “On average so far this year, over ten persons are put to death each week in Iran, making it one of the world’s highest executions. Iran is worryingly on the same track as last year when around 580 people were reportedly executed.” He described the record as “abominable.” He also expressed grief and sadness over the high number of executions in Iran this year.
Ravina Shamdasani, a Spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, said that the authorities in Iran executed most people on drug-related offenses.
On Monday, Iranian authorities hanged two men on charges of spreading blasphemy on social networking sites. Subsequently, the United States and Amnesty International, an international non-governmental human rights organization, condemned Iran for executing the two men.
On Saturday, Iranian authorities executed Swedish-Iranian dissident Habib Chaab over his alleged involvement with the Harakat al-Nidal separatist group or Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz. Iranian authorities accused Chaab of spreading terrorism. Iran considers Harakat al-Nidal a terrorist group. Later on, Sweden and the European Union (EU) slammed Iran for executing Chaab. Sweden also summoned Iran’s acting ambassador to protest against Chaab’s execution.
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The Swedish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, “The death penalty is an inhuman and irreversible punishment and Sweden, together with the rest of the EU, condemns its use under any circumstances.”
The United Nations also claimed that 22 people from the Baluch minority were executed in Iran in the last 14 days.
