Iran carried out at least 209 executions so far in 2023, according to new figures released by the United Nations on Tuesday.

This comes in the wake of several high-profile execution that have drawn international condemnation.

At an average of over ten per week, it means Iran is on course to match or even surpass last year's total of 580 executions.

Given a lack of government transparency, the UN estimates the real figure is likely to be even higher. 

One UN spokesperson told reporters that at the current rate, the number of executions could end up being the highest since 2015, when 972 death penalties were handed out.

Iran's 'abominable' record – UN

Iran has one of the highest execution rates in the world and, according to UN sources, at least 45 people have been executed in the last two weeks alone in the Islamic Republic, mainly from minority groups.

"This is an abominable record, particularly when you consider the growing consensus for universal abolition of the death penalty," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said in a statement.

"The Human Rights Committee is clear on prohibiting imposition of the death penalty for any but the 'most serious crimes' – crimes of extreme gravity, involving intentional killing. Drug offences do not meet this threshold," said Türk.

"Imposing the death penalty for drug offences is incompatible with international human rights norms and standards."

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Minority groups most at risk

On Saturday, Swedish-Iranian dissident Habib Chaab from the Ahwazi Arab minority was executed after being found guilty of "corruption on earth," while 22 members of Iran's Baluch minority have been executed for mainly drug-related charges.

Two days later, two men, named in reports as Yousef Mehrdad and Sadrollah Fazeli Zare, were hanged on charges of spreading blasphemy on social media, prompting US condemnation and accusations from Amnesty International that the Islamic republic has reached a "new low" in a spree of executions.

High Commissioner Türk has urged the Iranian authorities immediately halt all executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty.

While most countries have outlawed the death penalty, 53 still retain it, including the United States, China, Japan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

mfo/jcg (AFP, dpa)