The United Nations has strongly condemned the executions of a 17-year-old and a 22-year-old in Iran and urged Tehran to immediately suspend the implementation of the death penalty.

“The execution of Hamidreza Azari, who was convicted of murder, is the first reported execution of a child who allegedly broke the law in Iran this year,” Elizabeth Throssell, a spokeswoman for the UN human rights agency, said in a press release. which he published yesterday Tuesday.

He reminded Tehran of its obligation under international conventions to prohibit the death penalty and its application in cases of crimes committed by people under the age of 18.

“We are also concerned about the execution (…) of Miland Zohrevad, 22, the eighth person executed as part of the September 2022 protests,” Ms Throssell continued.

“Available information indicates that his trial did not meet fundamental requirements (…) under international human rights law. There are also disturbing reports that Zohrevad’s parents were arrested after his execution.”

Iran was rocked last year by mass protests sparked by the death on September 16, 2022 of Mahsha Amini, a 22-year-old from Iran’s Kurdish minority, three days after she was arrested by morality police for allegedly violating the strict dress code imposed on women in the country. Islamic Republic.

Tehran has launched a crackdown to quell the protests, killing hundreds of people and arresting thousands, according to rights groups.

Ms. Throssell pointed out that Iran is among the countries where the death penalty is imposed the most, especially for cases related to drug trafficking and use, and that members of minorities make up a disproportionately high proportion of those sentenced to the death penalty.

He called on Iran to “immediately stop” the implementation of the ultimatum, to declare a moratorium on its imposition.

This month, the non-governmental organization Iran Human Rights (IHR), which is based in Norway, reported 680 executions since the beginning of the year, the highest number in eight years. Another NGO, Hengaw, also based in Norway, estimated this week that the number of executions had already reached 700 with more than a month to go until 2023.