The UK’s Minister of State for the Middle East Lord (Tariq) Ahmad has urged the Iranian regime to listen to the calls from the international community and end the surge in executions, following

a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council today.

The UN Fact Finding Mission, set up by the Human Rights Council earlier this year to investigate Iran’s human rights violations, reported to the Council on human rights violations during recent protests in Iran.

Following the meeting, more than 50 states, including the UK, signed a statement led by Costa Rica criticising the ‘alarming pace’ of executions in Iran.

The regime has carried out more than 300 executions in 2023 alone. This is a shocking trend – executions are on track to exceed 2022, and more than double 2021’s figures. Analysis of the executions has shown that many are for minor crimes such as non-violent drug offences and the list included five individuals arrested following the death of Mahsa Amini.

The statement called out the frequent reports of forced confessions, following torture and inhumane treatment, leading to death penalty sentences in Iran.

Lord Ahmad said:

The UK and our partners have today condemned the Iranian regime for their brutal use of executions to stifle dissent.

The regime cannot continue to ignore the calls from the Iranian people, and the international community, for change.

A moratorium on the death penalty must be the first step in the regime changing course and listening to the concerns of the Iranian people.

The UK has more than 350 sanctions in place on Iranian individuals and entities in response to the regime’s actions, including on the Prosecutor General and Deputy Prosecutor General who are responsible for Iran’s application of the death penalty. Photo by Matthias Blume, Wikimedia commons.