Iran executed 901 people in 2024, including women, UN says

GENEVA,— The number of executions in Iran reached 901 last year, marking a sharp increase and the highest annual total since 2015, the United Nations reported Tuesday.

Among those executed were 31 women, some of whom had been convicted of killing their husbands under circumstances involving forced marriages or efforts to prevent sexual violence.

According to the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), a significant portion of the executions were tied to drug-related offenses.

However, political dissidents and individuals connected to mass protests in 2022—sparked by the death of 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman Jina Mahsa Amini while in police custody—were also among those executed.

Volker Türk, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, expressed deep concern over the rising numbers. “It’s very upsetting to see that the number of people being executed in Iran keeps growing every year,” he said in a statement. “It’s time for Iran to put an end to this rising wave of executions.”

The report detailed that at least 901 people were executed by hanging in 2024, up from 853 the previous year. The figures reflect the highest number of executions since 2015, when 972 individuals were put to death.

Iranian officials have not commented on the report, and its mission in Geneva did not respond to requests for a statement.

The execution of women reached a 15-year high, according to Liz Throssell, a spokesperson for the U.N. human rights office. She said the majority of the women had faced murder charges, often in cases involving domestic violence, child marriage, or forced marriage. One case involved a woman who killed her husband to protect her daughter from sexual assault, Throssell told reporters in Geneva.

The surge in executions comes as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, elected in July 2024, faces scrutiny over his promises to improve the rights of women and minorities.

The country remains under intense international criticism for its use of the death penalty and treatment of protesters since the 2022 unrest, which marked the most significant turmoil in Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The U.N. and human rights advocates continue to call on Tehran to halt executions and address systemic human rights violations.

Since 1979, when the Islamic regime came to power, Iran has enforced unfair laws and rules against the Kurdish population in Iranian Kurdistan, affecting their lives in many ways.

Kurds in Iran face discrimination in practicing their religion, earning a living, and preserving their culture. For example, parents aren’t allowed to give their children certain Kurdish names, and Kurdish religious minorities are often targeted and isolated.

They also face barriers to getting good jobs, housing, and participating in politics. This has left many Kurds stuck in poverty and feeling even more excluded.

More than 12 million Kurds are estimated to live in Iranian Kurdistan (Rojhelat).

(With files from Reuters | Agencies)