GENEVA – The human rights situation in the Islamic Republic of Iran reveals troubling patterns of repression, discrimination, and systemic violence, according to Mai Sato, the newly appointed UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran.
In her inaugural report to the UN Human Rights Council, Sato underscored the unprecedented surge in executions in Iran during 2024. Over 900 executions were recorded, placing Iran at the top globally in per capita use of the death penalty. Half of these executions were linked to drug-related offences, while others stemmed from homicide and national security charges. Sato expressed deep concern over cases involving women activists convicted under vague national security laws.
“The lack of official data on death sentences and executions heightens these concerns,” Sato stated. She praised civil society organizations and affected families for providing crucial testimonies, stressing that it is the Iranian government’s responsibility to deliver transparent, verifiable statistics.
The report points to serious issues of discrimination, particularly affecting ethnic and religious minorities. Sato noted the compounded hardships these communities face, including arbitrary detention and unfair trials, some culminating in death sentences. “Women from minority groups endure particularly severe forms of discrimination based on ethnicity, religion, age, and gender,” she added.
The report further details Iran’s extensive crackdown on civil society. Labour leaders, cultural rights advocates, journalists, and human rights defenders have faced systematic arrest, detention, and prosecution. These actions, Sato warned, restrict individual freedoms and create a widespread chilling effect on Iranian society.
Alarmingly, the report recorded at least 179 femicides in 2024. Sato criticized Iran’s legal framework for effectively enabling gender-based violence. “By treating honour-related killings differently from other murders, Iran’s legal system perpetuates a culture where lethal violence against women is tacitly accepted,” she said.
Despite Iran ranking high on the Human Development Index, it remains at 121 out of 193 countries on the UNDP Gender Inequality Index, the lowest among highly developed nations. Sato acknowledged progress in education for women but emphasized the absence of meaningful political and economic empowerment.
The report highlights gender-specific human rights violations, from discriminatory laws affecting marriage, divorce, and inheritance, to the enforcement of mandatory dress codes that disproportionately target women and girls.
“I stand ready to engage constructively with the Islamic Republic of Iran and hope for an invitation to conduct an official visit,” Sato concluded.
Mai Sato serves as an independent expert under the UN’s Special Procedures, a network of human rights experts mandated to address country-specific or thematic issues. These experts are unpaid and act independently of any government or organization.