The \u201cfrightening\u201d number of executions carried out this year in Iran prompted the UN human rights chief Volker T\u00fcrk on Tuesday, to call on the country\u2019s authorities to abolish the death penalty or halt all executions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More than 10 people are put to death each week in Iran<\/strong>, High Commissioner T\u00fcrk said, making the country \u201cone of the world\u2019s highest executors\u201d, with at least 209 people executed since the beginning of the year according to sources quoted by the UN rights office (OHCHR<\/a>), in\u00a0a press release<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Executions are carried out \u201cmostly\u201d for drug-related offences. Mr. T\u00fcrk said this was \u201cincompatible with international human rights norms and standards<\/strong>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n OHCHR said that minorities were over-represented on Iran\u2019s death row, and said that according to sources, at least 45 people<\/strong>, including 22 from the Baluch minority, were executed in the last 14 days alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMost were executed for drug-related charges\u201d, added the UN rights chief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAt this rate, Iran is worryingly on the same track as last year<\/strong>, when around 580<\/strong> people were reportedly executed, said Mr. T\u00fcrk. \u201cThis is an abominable record, particularly when you consider the growing consensus for universal abolition of the death penalty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Only a small number of States still impose and apply the death penalty, said OHCHR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Saturday, Iran executed Habib Chaab, a Swedish-Iranian citizen from the Ahwazi Arab minority, the rights office added, who had been charged and found guilty of \u201ccorruption on earth\u201d \u2013 a capital offence under Iran\u2019s strict interpretation of Islamic law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reports on Monday, said that Yousef Mehrdad and Sadrollah Fazeli Zare had been executed for crimes including blasphemy, said OHCHR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking before the\u00a0Human Rights Council<\/a>\u00a0last month, Mr. T\u00fcrk had\u00a0called the<\/a>\u00a0death penalty an \u201catavistic relic from the past\u00a0<\/strong>that should be shed in the 21st century\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIncompatible with international norms<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Abominable record\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n