Iran executes at least 56 people since March, UN rights chief says

Iran executions Volker Türk UN protests

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said that at least 56 people have been executed in Iran on national‑security related charges since 19 March, including 27 linked to the nationwide protests that began earlier this year. He warned that capital punishment is being used to instill fear and suppress dissent, urged Tehran to halt all executions and move toward abolition of the death penalty, and noted that more than 100 other individuals remain at risk of execution, with drug‑related executions continuing at an alarming rate.

Separate reports from the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) indicate that between 28 July and 3 August, at least 26 prisoners were executed across Iranian prisons, among them Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat, accused of espionage and cooperation with Israel. The council also listed dozens of other prisoners executed in that period, suggesting the actual number may be higher.

Human‑rights monitoring for July 2026 recorded 77 executions in Iran, including seven political prisoners, 65 male detainees and several ethnic minorities, highlighting an ongoing pattern of mass capital punishment.

Türk’s statements were echoed by multiple UN and Amnesty International reports, which described systemic judicial failures, secret trials, and confessions allegedly obtained under torture.

Entities: Arvin Kheirkhahan · Iran · National Council of Resistance of Iran · National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) · Omid Behzad · Pouria Safvat · United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights · Volker Türk

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[○ 1 SOURCE] In July 2026, at least 77 executions were recorded in Iran, including seven political prisoners. (Human‑rights monitoring report)
[● 6 SOURCES] Executions for drug‑related offences continue at an alarming rate. (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk)
[● 6 SOURCES] At least 56 people have been executed in Iran on national security‑related charges since 19 March. (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk)
[● 2 SOURCES] Omid Behzad and Pouria Safvat were executed on charges of espionage and cooperation with Israel on 3 August. (NCRI report)
[● 6 SOURCES] 27 of the executions were linked to nationwide protests at the start of the year. (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk)
[● 2 SOURCES] At least 26 prisoners were executed in Iran between 28 July and 3 August. (National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI))
[● 6 SOURCES] More than 100 other people remain at risk of execution on similar national‑security charges. (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk)
[● 6 SOURCES] Volker Türk said capital punishment is used to instill fear and suppress dissent in Iran. (UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk)