Iran tops Global Torture Index as highest-risk country for torture

The World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) and partner groups released the second edition of the Global Torture Index on 25 June. The index, which evaluates risk in 39 countries, classifies Iran as the highest‑risk nation for torture, impunity and state‑violence, assigning the top danger level for suspects. The report states that "Iran is among the world's highest‑risk countries for torture" and highlights systematic use of torture to secure confessions.

The assessment estimates at least 1,639 executions in 2025, including people under 18, and notes that Iran has not ratified the UN Convention Against Torture. Legal provisions permit corporal punishments such as flogging and amputation, and convictions can rely solely on forced confessions, creating strong incentives for abuse. Perpetrators enjoy near‑total impunity, with no independent body overseeing deaths in custody. The OMCT urged Iran to criminalise torture, end forced confessions, allow an unrestricted UN fact‑finding mission, and called on the international community to support accountability and protect survivors.