UN special investigator concerned by continued use of the death penalty in Iran

The Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran today (22 Oct) told reporters in New York that against a backdrop of a “continued worsening of the economic situation” over the past year, “civil and political rights are continuously curtailed.” Javaid Rehman also expressed deep concern “at the continued use of the death penalty” in Iran. He noted that “while the number of executions in 2018 was significantly lower than in previous years, the rate remains one of the highest in the world, with at least 253 people having been executed over the course of 2018.