Iran Urgently Pressed by UN to Stop Executions Amid Shocking Surge

Iran faces urgent calls from the United Nations to halt escalating executions. Recent statistics reveal over 1,000 executions in 2025, averaging four daily. The surge marks the highest since 1989, following a trend seen since the 2022 Woman Life Freedom uprising.

UN Intervention and Human Rights Concerns

On 16 October 2025, the UN Secretary-General will present a report on Iran, followed by a briefing from the UN Special Rapporteur and the UN Independent Fact-Finding Mission to the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly on 30 October 2025. The focus will be on Iran’s alarming execution rate and the need for immediate international intervention.

Execution Practices and Legal Violations

• Executions for drug-related offenses breach international law.
• Trials often deemed unfair and conducted behind closed doors.
• Forced confessions and torture reported, undermining judicial processes.

The Iranian government’s normalization of frequent executions is a significant human rights issue. Ethnic minorities and marginalized communities, including Afghans, Ahwazi Arabs, Baluchis, and Kurds, suffer disproportionately.

International Call to Action

Amnesty International highlights the executions as a systematic attack on the right to life. The UN urges member states to demand Iran halts all executions, quashes unfair death sentences, and establishes a moratorium on the death penalty.

Efforts to Reform Drug Control Policies

Amnesty calls on the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) to influence Iran towards respecting human rights in drug-related cases.

The broader international community is encouraged to initiate accountability measures. This includes criminal investigations under universal jurisdiction concerning torture and other crimes in Iran, aiming for arrest warrants against responsible officials.

Hussein Baoumi, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, stresses the importance of a unified international response. UN member states are expected to voice strong opposition during the upcoming Third Committee Interactive Dialogue on Iran.

Emegypt continues to monitor the situation, supporting global efforts to safeguard human rights and uphold justice.