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ANALYSIS

Over 30 countries condemn Iranian regime's executions aimed at silencing dissent: 'The regime continues to shed blood'

The number of signatories rose to 32 after other countries joined the initial statement, according to the French Foreign Ministry. Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Italy, Germany and several other European nations called on Iran to "immediately end the use of the death penalty and release all those arbitrarily detained."

A person holds a banner protesting executions in Iran - File photo

A person holds a banner protesting executions in Iran - File photoNurPhoto via AFP.

Carlos Dominguez
Published by
Carlos Dominguez

More than 30 nations, including France, the United Kingdom and Canada, condemned on Wednesday the use of the death penalty in Iran and claimed that the regime uses it to "silence dissent."

The statement was also endorsed by Albania, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas.

"Can never be justified"

The signatories "condemn in the strongest terms the ongoing executions of protesters and use of the death penalty" by Tehran. "The use of capital punishment to silence dissent, intimidate communities, and punish individuals exercising their human rights can never be justified," they stated.

The number of signatories rose to 32 after other countries joined the initial statement, according to the French Foreign Ministry's report to AFP. Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Italy, Germany and several other European nations called on Iran to "immediately end the use of the death penalty and release all those arbitrarily detained."

U.N. warns of rise in executions

The statement comes amid growing alarm from the United Nations (UN) and human rights organizations over the increase in executions in recent months. According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, since March 19, at least 56 people have been executed on charges related to national security, 27 of whom were linked to the protests. More than a hundred people are at risk of being executed for similar reasons.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that "seven months after the mass crimes committed against the Iranian people, who rose up to demand justice and dignity, the regime continues to shed blood by increasing executions."

Protests and repression

The protests began in late 2025 over the high cost of living and turned into widespread anti-government demonstrations. Iranian authorities acknowledged more than 3,000 deaths, but attributed them to "terrorist acts" orchestrated by the United States and Israel. 

Human rights organizations based abroad reported a much higher death toll. According to HRANA, at least 7,007 people died during the protests (6,488 protesters and 236 minors), and thousands of additional cases remain under investigation. The same sources reported that security forces fired on the protesters.

According to Amnesty International, Iran executed more than 2,150 people last year, making it, by a wide margin, the country that carries out the most executions in the world after China.

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