UN human rights experts have expressed concern over a significant increase in executions in Iran, reporting that over 1,000 individuals have been executed during the first nine months of 2025. A joint statement from five special rapporteurs characterized the scale of these executions as a serious violation of the right to life. They highlighted that approximately half of the executions were related to drug offenses, with an average of nine executions occurring per day in recent weeks.
On the same day, Iranian authorities announced the execution of Bahman Choubi Asl, a man accused of espionage for Israel. The judiciary’s Mizan news agency identified Asl as a database expert involved in sensitive projects and described him as a “trusted spy” for Mossad, although no evidence was provided to support these claims. His execution followed the rejection of his appeal against a conviction for “corruption on Earth.” Mizan did not disclose details about the timing of Asl’s arrest, and his case had not been reported previously by Iranian media or human rights groups. He was the 11th individual accused of spying for Israel to be executed in Iran this year.
Amnesty International and Iran Human Rights have documented 1,000 executions in Iran since January, surpassing the previous year’s total of 975. Among those executed, 50% were convicted of drug-related offenses; 43% for murder; 3% for security-related charges; and 1% for spying. The figures also include 28 women and 58 Afghan nationals, with a notable representation from minority communities. Both organizations have criticized the fairness of trials, citing allegations of torture.
UN experts emphasized that the high number of executions for drug offenses is alarming and contradictory to international law, which restricts capital punishment to the most serious crimes. Reports indicate that over 500 individuals convicted of drug-related offenses are currently on death row at one prison alone. Additionally, the Guardian Council is reviewing a new espionage bill that could expand the range of punishable actions under the death penalty. The UN experts urged the international community to take diplomatic actions to address these violations in Iran.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgn078zlgro?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss