Iran executed at least 975 people in 2024—the highest number since 2015—according to a United Nations report presented to the Human Rights Council by Deputy High Commissioner Nada Al‑Nashif and highlighted by Secretary‑General António Guterres.
The majority of executions—52%—were for drug-related offenses, followed by 43% for murder. Smaller percentages were carried out for sexual crimes (2%) and security-related offenses (3%). Public hangings accounted for at least four executions, and a disproportionate number of those executed belonged to ethnic minorities, including 108 Baluch and 84 Kurds.
Significantly, the number of women executed reached its highest level in nearly two decades, with 31 women, many convicted on charges linked to domestic violence, forced marriage, or child marriage. Among those carried out were individuals involved in the 2022 “Women, Life, Freedom” protests following Mahsa Amini’s death. Additionally, 29 politically motivated executions, including espionage and national-security convictions, were confirmed.
UN High Commissioner Volker Türk described the rise in executions as “deeply troubling” and urged Iran to halt capital punishment practices. The report also documented widespread human rights violations in Iran, including reports of torture, arbitrary detentions, and the prosecution of at least 125 journalists, of whom 40 were women.
Human rights experts from Norway-based Iran Human Rights and other organizations noted a 17% increase in executions compared to 2023, and at least 343 executions in just the first four months of 2025, marking a 75% rise over the same period last year.
