Surge in Executions: Iran's Alarming Death Toll Hits 901 in 2024

In a disturbing report, the United Nations reveals that Iran executed at least 901 individuals in 2024, marking a 6% increase from the previous year and sparking calls for urgent reform.

According to the latest figures from the UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, Iran's execution rate has reached levels not seen in nine years, with a particularly troubling spike in December when approximately 40 people were put to death within a single week. "It is deeply disturbing that yet again we see an increase in the number of people subjected to the death penalty in Iran year-on-year," Türk stated, emphasizing the urgent need for the Iranian government to end this rising trend of executions.

The data shows that most executions were tied to drug offenses, but a growing number of dissidents and individuals linked to the protests that erupted in 2022 have also faced lethal punishment. The toll includes an alarming increase in women, as noted by the Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR), which reported the execution of at least 31 women in 2024, the highest figure since it began monitoring the death penalty. Among these cases, Leila Ghaemi was executed for murdering her husband after he and his associates assaulted her daughter, highlighting the complex circumstances surrounding these sentences.

Amnesty International has pointed out that many among those executed did not fit the category of "most serious crimes," which international law stipulates should warrant the death penalty. A separate report from Hengaw, a Kurdish human rights organization, noted that over half of the victims were from Iran's ethnic minority groups, including 183 Kurds. This disproportionate impact aligns with findings from the UN's fact-finding mission, which indicated that the government's response to dissent following the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests has been particularly harsh on marginalized communities.

Notably, HRANA reported the execution of five juvenile offenders, violating international prohibitions against capital punishment for individuals under 18 years old at the time of their offenses. The UN figures indicate that Iran was responsible for 74% of all recorded executions globally in 2023, according to Amnesty, although China, which reportedly executes thousands, lacks public data on these cases due to state secrecy.

As the world watches, there are growing calls for Iran to observe a moratorium on the death penalty and ultimately abolish it in alignment with human rights standards.