August 9, 2024 – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has referred to as for a direct moratorium on executions in Iran following a pointy rise in state-sanctioned killings within the nation, with greater than 29 individuals executed in a single day.
In an announcement launched on August 9, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed critical issues concerning the lack of due course of and honest trial requirements in loss of life penalty instances in Iran and referred to as for a direct moratorium on executions as an essential first step in direction of the abolition of the loss of life penalty.
The Center for Human Rights in Iran additionally referred to as for a direct moratorium on all executions and the quashing of present loss of life sentences, saying Iran’s loss of life penalty is marred by critical violations of due course of, is usually based mostly on confessions extracted underneath torture, and is utilized for crimes that don’t meet worldwide requirements for the loss of life penalty.
This brings the full variety of executions reported this yr to a minimum of 345, of which 15 have been girls.
Those executed have been primarily individuals convicted of drug-related crimes or homicide. Almost half of the executions for the reason that starting of 2024 have been for drug-related offences. As we’ve got repeatedly burdened, imposing the loss of life penalty for crimes that don’t contain intentional killing is opposite to worldwide human rights norms and requirements.
We additionally reiterate our concern concerning the lack of due course of and honest trial requirements in lots of of those instances. Executions have been carried out with out the data of prisoners’ households or attorneys.
Ethnic minorities, together with Kurds, Ahwazi Arabs and Baluchis, proceed to be disproportionately affected by these executions.
It is time for Iran to impose a moratorium on executions and be a part of the rising worldwide motion in direction of common abolition of the loss of life penalty, with a view to ultimately abolishing it.