Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed serious concerns about the sharp rise in executions in Iran on Wednesday.
This year alone has seen at least 54 executions, including those of Mohammed Ghobadlou, a 23-year-old protestor, and Farhad Salimi, a Kurdish man who spent 14 years in prison. Türk emphasised the right to life, insisting on due process and fair trials, and urged Iran to immediately halt the death penalty.
In Saqqez, thousands gathered to bid farewell to Farhad Salimi, executed on Tuesday. Salimi’s family were not allowed to see him before his execution at Qezelhesar prison in Karaj. They are now taking his remains back to Saqqez.
Türk highlighted the necessity of adhering to due process and ensuring fair trials for all defendants. He voiced deep concern over reports of forced confessions under duress. “I urge the government of Iran to enact an immediate moratorium on the use of the death penalty, with a view to abolishing the practice altogether,” he said.
The UN’s call for a moratorium is set against a backdrop of increasing executions in Iran and reflects the broader international movement advocating for human rights and judicial integrity.