The UN human rights chief Volker Türk has expressed alarm over a significant increase in executions in Iran since March, with at least 56 people killed on national security-related charges. This marks an ongoing trend, as last year saw a record high of 2,159 executions in the country, according to Amnesty International. The key angle of this article is Türk's call for Iran to halt all executions and move towards abolishing the death penalty, which he says has "no place" in the world. Iranian authorities have previously defended the use of capital punishment, but no comment was given in response to Türk's statement.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
UN human rights chief Volker Türk has expressed alarm over a significant increase in executions in Iran, with at least 56 people executed on national security-related charges since March 19th, including 27 linked to January's anti-government protests. This rise in executions is part of a larger trend, with Iran thought to be the world's second-most prolific executioner after China, and 2,159 people executed last year, according to Amnesty International, which was the highest number on record since 1981. The UN official criticized Iran for using capital punishment to "instil fear among the population and suppress dissent", with over 100 others at risk of execution on similar charges.
Written for “Iran Execution Spike” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The article's framing of Iran's use of capital punishment as 'instil[ing] fear among the population' and 'suppress[ing] dissent' suggests a strongly negative view, while Volker Türk's call for abolition of the death penalty is presented without counterbalance or critique. The use of words like 'alarmed', 'deeply troubling', and 'persistent lack of fair trial and due process guarantees' also contribute to this leaning.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score -0.80 for article 581 · logged 2026-08-06
- Published
The UN human rights chief has said he is alarmed by the rise in executions in Iran, with capital punishment continuing to be used "to instil fear among the population and suppress dissent".
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punishment → publish → dissent
Volker Türk said at least 56 people had been executed on national security-related charges since 19 March, including 27 in cases linked to January's nationwide anti-government protests.
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people → say → protests
More than 100 others were at risk of execution on similar charges, while executions for drug-related offences were also continuing at an alarming rate, he added.
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he → relate → rate
Iran is thought to be the world's second-most prolific executioner after China.
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Iran → think → China
Last year, it put to death at least 2,159 people, according to Amnesty International.
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it → put → International
The human rights group said that was the highest figure on record since 1981 and included 45 executions of suspected dissidents on national security-related charges.
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that → say → charges
Activists have warned that Iranian authorities might make greater use of executions against their opponents following January's protests, during which thousands of demonstrators were killed and tens of thousands were detained, and the US-Israeli war with Iran on 28 February.
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thousands → warn → February
In a statement, Türk urged Iranian authorities to halt all executions and move toward the abolition of the death penalty, saying that "such punishment has no place in our world".
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punishment → urge → world
As well as expressing alarm at the rise in executions, he said the persistent lack of fair trial and due process guarantees was "deeply troubling", with confessions allegedly obtained under torture and other ill-treatment.
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lack → express → torture
"Several executions have reportedly been carried out in public.
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executions → carry → public
Some have reportedly been carried out only weeks after arrest," he added.
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he → carry → arrest
"Twelve defendants were reportedly sentenced to death following a single three-hour closed-door hearing."
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defendants → sentence → hearing
But it has previously defended the use of the death penalty, saying it is limited to only "the most severe crimes".
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it → defend → crimes
On Monday, Iran's judiciary said it executed two men convicted of spying for Israel.
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it → say → Israel
Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat were accused of sending coordinates, images and other information on sensitive military, law enforcement and security sites to Israel's Mossad foreign intelligence service during the current war and the 12-day conflict in June 2025, according to the judiciary's Mizan news agency.
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Behzad → accuse → agency
Last week, 19-year-old Arvin Kheirkhahan was executed after being convicted of the security-related charge of "enmity against God" over his alleged role in January's unrest, Iran's Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported, citing a source close to his family.
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Agency → execute → family
Another two men arrested during the protests, Abolfazl Sepahi Badjani and Amirhossein Safari Hosseinabadi, were executed in public in a square in Isfahan, according to HRANA.
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men → arrest → HRANA
They were among 12 people convicted of several charges, including "enmity against God" and "corruption on Earth", in connection with the killing of four law enforcement officers on 8 January.
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They → convict → January
Two of their fellow defendants, Erfan Esfandiari and Gol Mohammad Mohammadi, were executed on 19 July.
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Two → execute → July
UN human rights experts said the 12 were sentenced to death "in one hearing, in a closed courtroom and without clarity as to each defendant's individual responsibility", which violated established fair trial standards.
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which → say → standards
