The United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, today called on the Iranian authorities to "end their brutal repression" of protesters and suspend the death penalty, the Office of the High Commissioner announced.
"I call on the Iranian authorities to reconsider, step back and end their brutal repression, including summary trials and disproportionate sentences. I call for the immediate release of all those arbitrarily detained by the Iranian authorities, and I call for a complete moratorium on the death penalty," Turk said at the start of an emergency meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the situation in Iran.
He stated that the repression is creating conditions for "further human rights violations, instability and bloodshed", adding that there are videos allegedly showing "hundreds of bodies in morgues, with fatal head and chest injuries".
"Thousands of people, including children, were killed during the repression that intensified on January 8, with the use of live ammunition by security forces against protesters. More precise facts are difficult to verify due to the communication blackout, which also began on January 8, and because we do not have access to Iran," said Turk.
He stated that there is a "long history of violent repression by the Iranian authorities" in Iran, and that the previous one was in 2022, following the death in custody of protester Gina Mahse Amini, after which the UN ordered the formation of a Fact-Finding Mission on Iran.
"The recent protests were sparked by skyrocketing prices, in the context of a serious economic crisis, exacerbated by government policies and the impact of foreign sanctions. They then developed into sustained demands for political, social and economic reforms," said Turk, adding that the government's initial constructive proposals quickly turned into repression.
"The only way out of this terrifying escalation is a dialogue based on the human rights of all Iranians," said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
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