A coalition of 75 Nobel Prize laureates has issued a powerful appeal to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, urging immediate international action to stop a growing wave of political executions in Iran. The signatories warn that the Iranian regime’s intensifying repression represents one of the most serious human rights crises in the world today.
The statement expresses deep concern over what the laureates describe as widespread and systematic violations of fundamental human rights by Iran’s ruling clerical establishment. They highlight the increasing use of executions against political prisoners, activists, and individuals arrested during the nationwide protests that swept Iran in January 2026.
Among the distinguished signatories are Nobel Peace Prize laureate José Ramos-Horta, physicists Pierre Agostini, Alain Aspect, and Barry Barish, economists Oliver Hart and Bengt Holmström, and renowned authors Kazuo Ishiguro and Olga Tokarczuk. Together, they emphasize that the Iranian people continue to be denied basic rights, including freedom of expression, fair trials, protection from torture, and, most importantly, the right to life.
A Nation in Turmoil
The appeal comes after months of unrest in Iran. Large-scale anti-government demonstrations erupted in late December 2025 and intensified throughout January 2026. Protesters from all walks of life took to the streets across dozens of cities, voicing frustration over economic hardship, corruption, political repression, and the lack of democratic freedoms.
Security forces responded with severe force. Human rights organizations reported thousands of deaths and widespread arrests as authorities sought to crush the movement. Tens of thousands of Iranians were reportedly detained, while many families remain unaware of the fate of their loved ones.
Since the protests, international human rights groups have documented a sharp increase in executions. Numerous political prisoners and protest participants have reportedly been sentenced following proceedings criticized for relying on forced confessions, allegations of torture, and a lack of due process. Many of those targeted are accused of supporting or associating with the democratic Iranian opposition and other groups opposing the mullahs’ regime.
Key Demands from the Nobel Laureates
The Nobel Prize winners call on the international community to take urgent action, including:
- An immediate suspension of all political executions.
- The release of political prisoners and detained protesters.
- Unrestricted access for international human rights observers to Iranian prisons and detention centers.
- Strong diplomatic pressure on Tehran, including making the abolition of the death penalty a central condition in future relations with the regime.
The laureates also voiced support for the major international gathering scheduled for 20 June 2026 in Paris, known as the “Day of Martyrs and Political Prisoners.” Organizers expect more than 100,000 Iranians and supporters from around the world to attend in solidarity with victims of repression and to demand an end to executions.
The statement further endorses a democratic vision for Iran based on popular sovereignty, human rights, gender equality, and the separation of religion and state. The laureates emphasize that Iran’s future should be determined by its people, free from both foreign military intervention and any return to dictatorship.
A Global Voice for Human Rights
The intervention by 75 Nobel laureates represents one of the most significant international appeals regarding Iran in recent years. Coming from leaders in peace, science, economics, medicine, and literature, the statement reflects growing international concern over the deteriorating human rights situation.
The laureates warn that silence from the international community risks encouraging further repression. With many prisoners reportedly facing imminent execution, they argue that urgent diplomatic and humanitarian action is needed to prevent further loss of life.
Their united appeal sends a clear message: the world must not ignore the plight of political prisoners and protesters in Iran, and immediate action is required to defend universal human rights and protect those facing execution.