UN Human Rights Chief Demands Iran Cease All Executions
UN Says Iran Uses the Death Penalty “as a Tool of State Intimidation”
Condemns “Disproportionate targeting of ethnic minorities and migrants”
In a forceful statement issued by the UN’s top human rights expert on August 29, 2025, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk demanded that the Islamic Republic of Iran immediately cease all executions and impose a moratorium on the death penalty.
Turk noted that “the high number of executions [in Iran] indicates a systematic pattern of using the death penalty as a tool of State intimidation, with disproportionate targeting of ethnic minorities and migrants.”
At least 841 people were executed in Iran in 2025 so far—making it the world’s second leading executor after China, and the top per capita executor.
The application of the death penalty in Iran violates every single law, standard, and norm regarding capital punishment. In the Islamic Republic, the death penalty is issued:
- After sham trials in which independent counsel, the right to mount a defense, and every other aspect of due process have been blatantly denied;
- For drug offenses that do not meet the international threshold of “most serious crimes”;
- Disproportionately against members of Iran’s minority communities;
- Against juvenile offenders, despite the absolute prohibition;
- For vague religious and political charges that are impermissible and increasingly used in political cases as a means to silence dissent.
The full statement follows below.
Iran: Call to halt increasing executions and impose moratorium on death penalty
29 August 2025
Geneva
Iranian authorities have executed at least 841 people since the beginning of the year and up until 28 August 2025, according to information gathered by the UN Human Rights Office – ignoring multiple calls to join the worldwide movement towards abolition of the death penalty.
In July alone, Iranian authorities executed 110 individuals. This represents more than double the number of people executed in July of last year and follows a major increase in executions during the first half of 2025. The high number of executions indicates a systematic pattern of using death penalty as a tool of State intimidation, with disproportionate targeting of ethnic minorities and migrants.
Currently facing imminent execution are 11 individuals; six of them charged with “armed rebellion” due to their alleged membership of the Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) group, and five in relation to their participation in the 2022 protests. On 16 August 2025, the Supreme Court confirmed the death sentence against workers’ rights activist Sharifeh Mohammadi.
The death penalty is incompatible with the right to life and irreconcilable with human dignity. It creates an unacceptable risk of executing innocent people. It should never be imposed for conduct that is protected under international human rights law.
We call on the Government of Iran not to implement the death penalty against these and other individuals on death row.
Once again, UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk calls on Iran to impose a moratorium on the application of the capital punishment, as a step towards its abolition.
