UN Human Rights Committee Demands Iran to Stop Executions

In light of recent reports that a United Nation’s investigator expressed shock over Iran’s human right’s situation, which has recently worsened, the UN General Assembly human rights committee approved a resolution expressing deep concern over the “alarmingly high frequency” of the use of the death penalty.

The vote passed on Tuesday with 78 yes votes from member countries, with 35 voting no and 69 abstaining.

In the report, the UN special investigator said that he Iran never allowed him to visit the country. “At least 852 individuals were executed in the period since June of last year, including eight juveniles,” the investigator said. “I also noted a widening of the range of offenses for which people are being put to death, including economic crimes as well as in some cases, clear political activities.”

Iran’s representative at the Assembly protested that the resolution doesn’t acknowledge “positive developments” since President Hassan Rouhani took office.

“At the time when many parts of our region are burning in the fires of extremism,” the resolution is counterproductive, the diplomat said.

The Canada-drafted resolution calls on Iran to stop abuses including torture. It now goes to the General Assembly.

AP contributed to this report.