The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in Iran, Mai Sato, has warned that the Islamic Republic is increasing its use of executions as a tool to suppress dissent as she presented her first report to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday.
“The pace is accelerating with at least 169 known executions identified in January and February alone. Should this alarming rate remain consistent, the total number of executions could exceed 1,000 this year, a chilling threshold that demands a collective global response,” Sato warned.
Last year, at least 975 people were executed in Iran, a 17% increase from the 834 executions recorded the previous year, according to a joint report released by the Iran Human Rights Organization (IHRNGO) and Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM).
It has stepped up since the 2022 uprising. In 2023, the UN quickly identified Tehran's utilising the death penalty to quash dissent.
"Criminal proceedings and the death penalty are being weaponised by the Iranian government to punish individuals participating in protests and to strike fear into the population so as to stamp out dissent, in violation of international human rights law," the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) said at the time.
Sato also highlighted the ongoing discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities, the lack of transparency in human rights cases, and the continued crackdown on protests and dissent.
Religious minorities, including Baha’is, Sunnis, and Christian converts, as well as ethnic groups such as Turks, Kurds, Arabs, and Baluchis, remain targets of state repression, she said.
She cited reports of arbitrary arrests, unfair trials, and executions targeting these communities.
Sato also raised concerns about the rising number of executions of women, naming three political prisoners—Pakhshan Azizi, Varishe Moradi, and Sharifeh Mohammadi—who are currently on death row.
At least 179 cases of femicide were documented in Iran last year, she said, adding that women in Iran continue to face systemic discrimination under laws that devalue their testimony in court and restrict their rights in employment and other areas.
Sato said human rights defenders, journalists, and lawyers are being harassed, intimidated, and threatened, particularly in Iranian prisons, where many are denied medical treatment.
She also noted that families of political prisoners face threats outside of prison.
UN fact-finding mission reports sexual violence in Iranian prisons
Sara Hussain, the head of the UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, told the council that Iranian authorities have committed widespread human rights violations, including extrajudicial detentions, torture, and sexual violence against prisoners.
"These acts constitute crimes against humanity and gender-based violence," she said.
The fact-finding mission has previously documented the use of torture, forced confessions, and intimidation tactics against detainees.
Calls for Iran to end repression
Representatives from multiple countries called on Iran to halt executions and end its crackdown on dissent.
Germany urged the Islamic Republic to stop executions and guarantee fundamental freedoms, while Switzerland highlighted multiple human rights violations and called for an end to repression.
Spain, Australia, and North Macedonia demanded an end to the persecution of human rights activists and the execution of political prisoners.
The Netherlands called for an extension of the UN fact-finding mission’s mandate, saying Iran has committed "crimes against humanity."
Belgium said the sharp rise in executions was deeply concerning, while Albania condemned the Islamic Republic’s attempts to assassinate dissidents.
Chile described a recent visit by a UN human rights delegation to Iran as a positive step but stressed that "without gender equality, there is no democracy."
Iran's allies push back against criticism of Tehran's human rights record
In contrast, Iran's ally, Venezuela, dismissed the UN fact-finding mission as a politically motivated effort to pressure Iran.
North Korea, also an ally of Iran, accused the international community of systematically targeting Iran and called on the Human Rights Council to end its "double standards."
Allies China, Venezuela, Cuba, and Ethiopia also defended Iran’s human rights record, with Ethiopia criticizing what it called the "politicization" of the issue.
Sudan also said that Iran’s human rights situation was improving and called for respect for each country’s right to determine its own approach to human rights.
