Over 300 Global Figures Urge UN to Halt Iran’s Execution Spree of Political Prisoners

A coalition of more than 300 leading international figures, including UN experts, Nobel laureates, former ambassadors, judges, and human rights advocates, has issued an urgent appeal calling on the United Nations to intervene to stop the execution of political prisoners in Iran.
In a statement published Thursday by the Justice for the Victims of the 1988 Massacre in Iran (JVMI), the signatories condemned what they described as Tehran’s “escalating campaign of politically motivated executions.” The appeal highlighted the cases of Behrouz Ehsani, 69, and Mehdi Hassani, 48, whose death sentences were recently upheld by the Iranian regime’s Supreme Court following charges of “enmity against God” and “corruption on earth.” Both men were convicted after a five-minute trial and reportedly denied legal counsel for nearly two years while enduring torture and prolonged solitary confinement.
“We demand an immediate halt to their execution. The international community must not remain silent,” the statement declared, warning of a broader execution campaign targeting dissidents.
According to the appeal, dozens of other political prisoners face imminent execution following what the signatories call “grossly unfair trials.” Some have been transferred to Ghezel Hesar Prison, described as a notorious execution site. The statement claims that since the regime’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, took office in August 2024, the regime has carried out over 1,000 executions, many targeting political prisoners, women, ethnic and religious minorities, and even juvenile offenders.

The appeal links the current wave of executions to what it calls “a culture of impunity” stemming from a failure to hold Iranian officials accountable for historical atrocities, including the 1988 massacre of political prisoners, which the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran, Prof. Javaid Rehman, classified as crimes against humanity and genocide in a 2024 report.
The coalition welcomed the European Parliament’s April 2025 resolution condemning the death sentences and cited support from the UN Special Rapporteur on Iran’s February warning to Tehran over the prisoners’ rights violations.
Among the prominent signatories are former ICC President Sang-Hyun Song, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Jody Williams and Oleksandra Matviichuk, and dozens of former international judges and legal experts.
The statement calls on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Special Procedures, and democratic governments to act urgently to halt the executions, impose sanctions on Iranian officials implicated in human rights violations, and press for the release of political prisoners.
It also urges making the Iranian regime’s compliance with international human rights standards a condition for any improvement in diplomatic relations.
The full list of signatories and organizations supporting the appeal is available at iran1988.org.