Geneva: The United Nations Human Rights Commission has reported that Iran executed 901 individuals last year, citing concerns over the increasing use of the death penalty in the country.

According to the report, around 40 of these executions took place within a single week in December.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed alarm over the rising number of executions, describing the situation as deeply troubling.

The executions in Iran are typically linked to serious crimes, including murder, drug trafficking, and sexual assault. The UN report highlighted that the majority of those executed in 2022 were convicted of drug-related offenses. However, it also noted that several individuals arrested during the protests of 2022 were sentenced to death.

The report further indicated a disturbing trend of an increasing number of women being sentenced to death. According to the Norway-based human rights organization, Iran Human Rights (IHR), at least 31 women were executed in the country last year.

The UN and human rights organizations continue to call for a halt to the use of the death penalty in Iran, particularly for crimes related to peaceful protests.