UN right chief voices dismay over ‘frighteningly’ high number of executions in Iran

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The UN human rights chief on Tuesday expressed dismay over the "frighteningly" high number of executions in Iran in 2023, urging authorities to abolish the death sentence or cease all executions.

"On average so far this year, over 10 people are put to death each week in Iran, making it one of the world’s highest executors," Volker Turk said in a statement.

Since the start of this year, the statement said, at least 209 people have been executed mostly for drug-related offenses and a “disproportionately high number representing minorities.”

At least 45 people, including 22 from the Baluch minority, were executed in the last 14 days alone, it said, adding that due to “lack of Government transparency”, the figure is likely to be “higher.”

"At this rate, Iran is worryingly on the same track as last year when around 580 people were reportedly executed," Turk said.

"This is an abominable record, particularly when you consider the growing consensus for universal abolition of the death penalty," he added.

On Saturday, Iran executed Habib Farajollah Chaab, a Swedish-Iranian dual national accused of spearheading a separatist group blamed by Tehran for a string of attacks in the country.

According to the Iranian judiciary’s Mizan News, Chaab, leader of the Harakat al-Nidal group, was convicted of being the “mastermind” of a 2018 attack that killed 25 people in Ahvaz, southwestern Iran.

On Sept. 22, 2018, militants masquerading as soldiers opened fire on an annual military parade in Ahvaz, the capital of the Khuzestan province.