UN alarmed over spike in executions of Afghan nationals in Iran

The United Nations has voiced deep concern over a sharp increase in executions in Iran, particularly of Afghan nationals, urging Tehran to halt the practice immediately.

Richard Bennett, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Afghanistan, said in a statement on X that more than 1,000 executions have been documented in Iran so far this year. At least 58 of those executed were Afghan citizens, he added.

“This blatant disregard for human rights must come to an end,” Bennett stressed, calling on Iran to impose an official moratorium on the death penalty without delay.

The UN expert’s warning follows mounting reports from international rights organizations highlighting the disproportionate number of Afghans executed in Iran in recent years. Many of those cases involve drug-related charges, which rights groups argue are often applied without fair trial guarantees.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, have long criticized Iran for carrying out one of the highest numbers of executions globally.

The latest surge has triggered alarm not only over Iran’s human rights record, but also over the vulnerability of Afghan migrants and refugees who make up a significant population in the country.

The Afghan Foreign Ministry has not yet issued an official response to the UN statement, but Kabul has previously urged host countries to respect the rights of Afghan nationals abroad.