Iran kicks off the UN Human Rights forum by sentencing a woman to death for adultery

The conviction of a female gym trainer coincides with the announcement that that country would take this prominent role at the UN. The announcement generated criticism due to the oppression many Iranian citizens face.

Iran is set to chair the UN human rights forum, right after sentencing a woman to death for adultery. According to state media, an Iranian court convicted a woman who worked as a trainer at a women's-only gym.

The available information reveals that the woman's husband called the police last year, when he allegedly discovered her being unfaithful with another man at her residence on surveillance cameras. According to Iranian law, the woman can appeal.

This is not the only such case that has occurred in recent years in Iran. Two men were executed last year after being convicted of sodomy.

Iran to chair Social Forum of the UN Human Rights Council

The sentence coincides with the announcement that Iran will chair the Social Forum of the UN Human Rights Council. The organization UN Watch reported the news on X (formerly Twitter).

UN Watch condemned the UN's decision and asked countries not to attend the event scheduled for Nov. 2 and 3. "We are now calling on all countries to walk out of the room tomorrow when the Islamic Republic of Iran becomes Chair of the United Nations Human Rights Council Social Forum," UN Watch wrote.

The NGO highlighted that the UN intends to legitimize a regime "that beats, blinds, tortures and rapes women for demanding their rights." The organization continued: "No joke: this Thursday, the Islamic Regime in Iran will become Chair of the U.N. Human Rights Council Social Forum." The message was accompanied by a video that condemns Iran's history of human rights violations.

Iranian courts have sentenced people accused of committing adultery to death by stoning. Crimes punishable by death include adultery, sodomy, murder, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping and drug trafficking.