By Stephen Simon
More than 30 countries, including France, Britain and Canada, have strongly condemned Iran’s continued use of the death penalty, accusing the Islamic Republic of using executions to suppress dissent and intimidate protesters.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, 32 countries and the European Union’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, called on Tehran to immediately halt executions and release people they said had been arbitrarily detained.
“The use of capital punishment to silence dissent, intimidate communities, and punish individuals exercising their human rights can never be justified,” the statement said, stressing that Iranians should be able to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without fear.
Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Italy, Germany and several other European countries joined the declaration, adding to international pressure on Tehran over its handling of protesters and political detainees.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi rejected the criticism, accusing France and other Western governments of hypocrisy over human rights and international law. He also criticised their positions on Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and the conflict involving Iran.
The condemnation comes amid growing concern from the United Nations and international human rights organisations over a sharp rise in executions in Iran. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk recently warned that the death penalty was being used by Iranian authorities to “instil fear”.
According to the United Nations, at least 56 people have been executed since March 19 on national security-related charges, including 27 cases reportedly connected to the protests. More than 100 others remain at risk of execution on similar charges.
The UN and rights organisations have also raised concerns about alleged unfair trials, forced confessions and the treatment of detainees.
Iran was rocked by widespread anti-government protests that began over economic hardship and the rising cost of living before expanding into a broader movement demanding political and social change. Iranian authorities have reported thousands of deaths, blaming much of the violence on what they describe as terrorist activities backed by the United States and Israel. Rights groups, however, have reported significantly higher casualty figures and accused security forces of using lethal force against demonstrators.
Tensions escalated further after the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28, triggering a wider Middle East conflict. Since then, arrests and executions have reportedly increased, with authorities linking some cases to the war and others to the earlier protests.
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the executions represented a continuation of what he described as the Iranian regime’s repression of its own people.
The scale of Iran’s use of capital punishment has also drawn international attention. Amnesty International reported that Iran executed more than 2,150 people last year, making it the world’s leading known executioner after China, whose execution figures remain classified.
The latest joint statement signals growing international pressure on Tehran to end executions linked to protests and national security charges and to ensure due process for those facing the death penalty.
