UN Special Rapporteur Sounds Alarm on Human Rights Crisis in Iran: Death Penalty, Discrimination, and Repression in Focus

(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)

GENEVA (18 March 2025) – The human rights situation in Iran continues to deteriorate with alarming trends in executions, lack of transparency, and systemic discrimination, according to the first report presented to the UN Human Rights Council by Mai Sato, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran.

Sato’s report paints a grim picture, highlighting significant concerns surrounding the right to life, freedom of expression, and equality. A particularly disturbing finding is the sharp increase in executions in 2024, with over 900 executions recorded, making Iran the world’s highest per capita user of the death penalty. Half of these executions were related to drug offenses, followed by homicides and national security offenses.

One of the most alarming aspects of the report is the targeting of women activists who are sentenced to death based on broadly defined charges of national security violations. Sato emphasized the lack of official data from the Iranian government regarding executions, urging the state to provide transparency and refute reports of discriminatory practices, which have been meticulously documented by human rights organizations and families of victims.

“The burden lies with the State to provide transparent statistical evidence if it wishes to refute the assessments of discriminatory practices,” Sato stated. The report reveals that Iran’s lack of transparency regarding executions and official demographic data raises critical concerns about the discriminatory application of the death penalty, particularly against minority groups.

The Special Rapporteur also raised alarms about the situation faced by ethnic and religious minorities in Iran, who suffer from intersectional discrimination, including arbitrary detention, unfair trials, and in some cases, death sentences. Women from these communities experience heightened vulnerabilities, facing discrimination based on their ethnicity, religion, gender, and age.

“Women from these communities face particularly acute challenges,” Sato explained, underscoring the compounded nature of the discrimination they face.

Another major concern outlined in the report is Iran’s severe restrictions on freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. The government’s crackdown on activists, journalists, and human rights defenders has led to widespread interrogations, arrests, detentions, and sentencing, directly limiting the basic freedoms of individuals and creating a chilling effect across Iranian society.

The report also documents at least 179 cases of femicide in 2024, shedding light on the country’s problematic legal system, which provides concerning protections for male perpetrators. “Iran’s legal system treats honour-related killings differently from other forms of murder, creating a dangerous hierarchy of violence that legitimizes lethal violence against women,” Sato remarked.

Despite its ranking as one of the higher countries on the Human Development Index, Iran stands at 121 out of 193 on the UNDP Gender Inequality Index, the lowest among high human development nations. Sato pointed out that while Iran has made strides in improving educational access, these advances have not been mirrored in the economic and political participation of women.

The report also delves into the gender-specific dimensions of human rights violations in Iran, including the disproportionate impact of discriminatory laws on women and girls. Issues ranging from child marriage to inheritance rights, divorce laws, and access to justice were highlighted. Furthermore, the mandatory dress code for women and girls, which has been a central point of contention, was also emphasized as a form of gender-based discrimination that limits women’s freedoms.

Despite these severe human rights concerns, Sato expressed her readiness to engage with the Iranian government constructively and called for an invitation to visit the country to further assess the situation on the ground.

“I remain ready to engage constructively with the Islamic Republic of Iran and look forward to receiving an invitation to visit the country,” Sato concluded, underscoring the need for continued international pressure and engagement to address the ongoing human rights crisis in Iran.

As the situation remains dire for many Iranians, particularly women and minority groups, the Special Rapporteur’s report serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for transparency, accountability, and reform within Iran’s human rights framework.