At least 21 people have been executed and more than 4,000 others detained in Iran since the conflict in the Middle East escalated, according to the UN Human Rights Office.
According to the Organisation, at least nine people have been executed in connection with the January 2026 protests, 10 on charges of allegedly belonging to opposition groups and two on espionage charges.
The organisation also noted that more than 4,000 people have been arrested on national security-related charges since the start of the conflict in Iran.
“I am astonished that – in addition to the already serious consequences of the conflict – the authorities continue to brutally and flagrantly deprive the Iranian people of their rights,” Volker Türk, head of the UN Human Rights Office, said in a statement.
“In wartime, threats to human rights grow exponentially. But even in cases where national security is invoked, human rights can only be restricted when strictly necessary and proportionate, and in order to achieve a legitimate aim. And fundamental rights that cannot be derogated from – such as protection from arbitrary detention and the right to a fair trial – must be respected unconditionally at all times,” he added.
Earlier, Amnesty International warned that a ceasefire in the Middle East would not prevent an escalation of the humanitarian crisis, noting that civilians in Iran continue to face the “twin threats” of war and repression.
Human rights groups, notably Amnesty International, say Iran carries out one of the largest executions per capita in the world and is among the countries with the highest total number of executions in the world after China, for which reliable data is limited.
Two organisations, Iranian Human Rights, headquartered in Norway, and Together Against The Death Penalty, headquartered in Paris, reported that at least 1,639 people were executed in Iran in 2025. According to the human rights groups, this is the highest annual number of executions recorded in Iran since 1989.
UN: Iran has executed 21 people and arrested more than 4,000 since the conflict escalated