Iran saw increasing restrictions on the right to freedom of expression and continuing violations of the right to life, liberty and a fair trial in the Islamic Republic, including 253 reported executions of adults and children in 2018, the UN expert on human rights said on Friday.
Javaid Rehman said in a report to the UN General Assembly circulated on Friday that while the number of executions was the lowest since 2007, "the number of executions remains one of the highest in the world."
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The significant decline, he said, is attributed to enforcement of a 2017 amendment to Iran's anti-narcotics law that saw the number of executions for drug-related offenses drop from 231 in 2017 to at least 24 in 2018.
Rehman expressed concern that Iran had more than 80 offenses punishable by the death penalty, including adultery, homosexuality, drug possession, "waging war against God, corruption on Earth, blasphemy and insult of the Prophet" Muhammad.
He said many of the offenses are not considered serious crimes under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Among the seven child offenders reported to have been executed in 2018 were two 17-year-olds in April for alleged rape and robbery, Rehman said. "The two were reportedly forced to confess under torture."
Rehman reiterated UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet's statement that the execution of child offenders "is absolutely prohibited and must end immediately."
