Executions in Iran are up 30%, a new United Nations report says

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — A new report from the United Nations says Iran is carrying out executions “at an alarming rate,” putting to death at least 419 people in the first seven months of the year. The report to the U.N. General Assembly on human rights in Iran says that’s a 30% increase from the same period in 2022. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says more than half were reportedly executed for drug-related offenses. He said seven men were executed “in relation to or for participating in” nationwide protests sparked by the September 2022 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained by the morality policy for violating Iran’s Islamic dress code.