More than 30 countries have publicly condemned Iran for executing protesters, accusing the Islamic republic of using the death penalty to silence opposition and instil fear among its citizens.
The joint statement, released on Wednesday, included France, Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Italy, Germany and numerous other European nations, alongside the European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.
“The use of capital punishment to silence dissent, intimidate communities, and punish individuals exercising their human rights can never be justified,” the statement said.
Initially signed by 26 countries, the declaration grew to 32 signatories as additional nations joined, according to the French foreign ministry.
Iran dismisses criticism as hypocrisy
Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi quickly dismissed the condemnation, accusing Western nations of double standards.
“Countries like France should stop lecturing the world about ‘human rights’ and international law. The hypocrisy is blatant and embarrassing,” Araghchi posted on X, referencing Western support for Israel during the Gaza conflict.
“Your backing of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and aggression against Iran has destroyed whatever moral high ground you imagined you had,” he added.
Surge in executions following protests
The joint statement comes amid growing alarm from the United Nations and human rights organisations over a sharp increase in executions in recent months.
UN rights chief Volker Turk said earlier in August that Tehran was using the death penalty to “instil fear” among its population.
According to UN figures, at least 56 people have been executed on national security-related charges since 19 March, with 27 cases directly linked to anti-government protests. More than 100 others remain at risk of execution on similar charges.
The UN and rights groups have raised concerns about the lack of fair trials and allegations of forced confessions.
Protests and escalating conflict
In late December last year, protests initially sparked by the high cost of living quickly evolved into widespread anti-government demonstrations across Iran.
Iranian authorities reported more than 3 000 deaths during the unrest, attributing the violence to “terrorist acts” orchestrated by the United States and Israel. However, rights groups based abroad recorded a far higher death toll and said security forces had fired on demonstrators.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the regime continues “to shed blood by carrying out a growing number of executions” seven months after what he called “mass atrocities” against protesters.
The situation has deteriorated further since the United States and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on 28 February, triggering the broader Middle East war. Arrests and executions have multiplied since then, linked to both the conflict and the domestic protests.
Last year, Iran executed more than 2 150 people according to Amnesty International, making it the world’s most prolific executioner after China.
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